THE     LITTLE     GYPSY. 


•  A  day  never  passed  without  Minu's  lifting  her  pretty  little  heart  and  saying, 
Papa,  sing  'La  Ohevrette.'  " 


THE   LITTLE  GYPSY. 


BY  ELIE    SAUVAGE. 


ILLUSTRATED     BY     LORENZ     FROLICH. 


TRANSLATED    FROM    THE     FRENCH    BY    I.   M.    LUYSTER. 


BOSTON: 
ROBERTS     BROTHERS. 

1868. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1868,  by 
ROBERTS  BROTHERS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United   States   for  the  District 
of  Massachusetts. 


CAMBRIDGE  : 

PRESS   OF   JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON. 


THE    LITTLE    GYPSY. 


CHAPTER   I. 


|N  a  retired  little  village,  nestling  at 
the  foot  of  a  pretty  valley  of  the 
Tyrol,  lived,  a  century  ago,  a  tailor 
called  Wolf.  He  was  a  simple- 
minded,  honest  man,  loving  God  and  his  neigh- 
bor. Though  he  had  no  means  of  support  but 
his  needle,  neither  he  nor  his  family  ever  wanted 
bread;  and  he  was  even  able  to  assist  others 
more  needy  than  himself,  thanks  to  the  two  good 
geniuses  which  presided  over  his  household,  one 
of  whom  was  called  "  Work,"  the  other  "  Econ- 
omy." 

A  I 


2  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

This  tailor  had  a  wife.  Neat,  active,  industri- 
ous, and  obliging,  Marguerite  had  many  excellent 
qualities;  but,  as  Wolf  sometimes  said  laugh- 
ingly, "  the  baker  had  put  too  much  yeast  in  the 
bread."  It  must  be  confessed,  that  if  Marguerite 
was  warm-hearted,  she  w.as  also  hot-headed. 
She  sighed  for  rank,  riches,  and  pleasure;  and 
annoyed  with  her  silly  complaints  the  worthy 
Wolf,  whose  ambition  never  soared  beyond  the 
limits  of  his  mountains.  But,  in  spite  of  her 
faults,  Marguerite  was  the  best  wife  in  the  world ; 
and,  when  she  was  loving  and  gay,  Wolf 
quickly  forgot  her  weaknesses  of  character. 

Kind  Providence  had  given  this  worthy  couple 
a  little  girl,  beautiful  as  an  angel,  lively  and 
bright  as  a  fairy.  Mina  was  the  joy  and  comfort 
of  Wolf,  and  the  pride  of  Marguerite;  and  all 
the  village  loved  her  for  her  grace  and  pretty 
little  ways.  When  scarcely  three  years  old  she 
already  warbled  little  ditties,  which  she  com- 
posed herself,  both  words  and  music.  But  the 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  3 

dance — above  all,  the  dance — was  her  triumph. 
Waking  up  with  the  sun  and  the  birds,  little 
Mina  would  spring  from  her  bed  in  her  night- 
gown, and  begin  to  pirouette  around  the  room 
with  so  much  grace,  that  Wolf  and  Marguerite 
forgot  their  work  in  looking  at  her  ;  and  the 
passers-by  stopped  before  the  window,  exhaust- 
ing their  whole  vocabulary  in  finding  words 
expressive  of  admiration. 

Artisans,  following  a  sedentary  trade,  which 
occupies  the  body  more  than  the  mind,  —  like 
weavers,  seamstresses,  and  tailors,  —  are  gen- 
erally fond  of  singing,  and  telling  stories. 
Owing  to  his  frank  and  expansive  nature,  this 
taste  was  fully  developed  in  Wolf;  only  he 
resembled  the  nightingale,  who  never  pours 
forth  his  gushes  of  melody  except  on  serene 
spring  nights,  and  who  hides  himself  under  the 
foliage  when  the  wind  is  stormy.  Thus  the 
neighbors,  for  whom  our  houses  are  glass,  and 
who  divine  every  thing  that  passes  therein,  no 


4  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

matter  how  carefully  hidden,  used  to  say,  when 
they  heard  the  tailor  humming  to  himself  while 
plying  his  needle,  "  Father  Wolf  is  singing. 
Marguerite  is  in  good  humor." 

Among  Wolf's  songs  was  one  called  "  La 
Chevrette,"  which  was  a  great  favorite  with  little 
Mina.  It  was  not  a  masterpiece  of  art.  A  poet 
of  the  court,  or  a  laureate  of  the  Academy, 
would  have  smiled  disdainfully  at  its  simplicity, 
and  the  poverty  of  its  rhyme;  but  it  found  favor 
with  simple-minded  people,  who  do  not  despise 
a  little  flower  because  it  has  grown  wild  in  the 
woods.  But  we  will  let  the  reader  judge  for 
himself. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 


LA  CHEVRETTE. 


HOP  la,  sautez,  ma  chevrette 
Joliette ; 


THE  LITTLE    GYP  ST. 

Hop  1&,  sautez,  mes  amours, 
Toujours. 


Un  petit  berger  tyrolien 
Avait  hdrit£  pour  tout  bien 

D'une  chevrette 

Joliette. 

Us  se  ch^rissaient  tous  les  deux 
Comme  un  vrai  couple  amoureux. 

Hop  la,  sautez,  ma  chevrette,  etc. 

"'- 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

A  sa  voix  comme  elle  accourait ! 
Elle  sautait,  cabriolait, 

Cette  chevrette 

Joliette. 

Dans  sa  main  1'herbe  elle  broutait 
Et  puis  a  ses  pieds  se  couchait. 

Hop  la,  sautez,  ma  chevrette,  etc. 


Tous  les  bergers  des  alentours 
Portent  envie  a  leurs  amours. 

Vends  ta  chevrette 

Joliette? 

Je  t'en  donne  un  beau  florin  d'or  . 
Mais  on  ne  vend  pas  son  tr^sor. 

Hop  la,  sautez,  ma  chevrette,  etc. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

Un  jour,  la  chevre  a  disparu  — 
II  court,  il  pleure  :  avez-vous  vu 

Ma  Joliette, 

Ma  chevrette? 
Si  je  ne  puis  la  d^couvrir, 
H£las  !  je  n'ai  plus  qu'a  mourir. 

Hop  la,  sautez,  ma  chevrette,  etc. 


Ne  pleure  pas,  petit  berger, 
Le  vilain  loup  n'a  pas  mang6 

Ta  Joliette, 

Ta  chevrette. 

Oui,  le  bon  Dieu  te  la  rendra, 
Et  ta  voix  encore  redira  : 

Hop  la,  sautez,  ma  chevrette,  etc. 


THE  LITTLE    GYPST. 

Un  soir,  on  frappe,  pan,  pan,  pan 
Elle  rentrait  clopin-clopant, 

Cette  chevrette, 

Joliette. 

Jugez  quelle  fete  on  lui  fit ! 
En  pleurant  son  berger  lui  dit : 


Ne  t'en  va  plus  au  bois  seulette, 

Ma  chevrette, 
Reste  fidele  a  tes  amours, 

Toujours. 


A* 


10 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 


TRANSLATION. 

HOP,  jump,  my  chevrette 

Joliette ; 
Hop,  jump,  my  darling, 

Ever  charming. 

A  kid  was  all  the  wealth  he  had, 
This  little  Tyrol  shepherd  lad,  — 

A  chevrette 

Joliette. 

In  merry  play  how  they  doted  ! 
Lovers  ne'er  were  more  devoted. 

Hop,  jump,  my  chevrette,  &c. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  TI 

At  his  voice  she'd  joyous  run, 
Jumping,  capering,  full  of  fun,  — 

This  chevrette 

Joliette. 

On  herbage  from  his  hand  she  fed, 
Then  at  his  feet  laid  down  her  head. 

Hop,  jump,  &c. 

All  the  shepherd  lads  around  them, 
Envious  of  the  love  that  bound  them, 
Tried  to  buy  his  chevrette 

Joliette. 

They  offered  him  a  golden  florin, 
But  they  could  not  win  her  from  him. 

Hop,  jump,  &c. 

One  day  the  little  kid  was  gone : 
In  tears  he  ran  to  every  one, 

For  his  Joliette, 

His  dear  chevrette. 
"  If  I  no  more  my  love  descry, 
There's  nothing  left  me  but  to  die." 

Hop,  jump,  &c. 


12  THE  LITTLE    GYPST. 

Do  not  weep,  my  little  shepherd : 
The  ugly  wolf  has  not  devoured 

Thy  Joliette, 

Thy  chevrette. 

Yes,  God  will  give  her  back  to  thee, 
And  again  thou'lt  call  with  glee, 

Hop,  jump,  &c. 

One  night,  rap,  rap,  rap,  at  the  door, 
And  she  came  hobbling  o'er  the  floor,  — 

This  chevrette 

Joliette. 

Oh,  how  joyous  was  the  meeting  ! 
And  with  tears  he  said,  in  greeting, 
"Ne'er  again  the  lone  forest  rove, 
Be  always  faithful  to  your  love  ! " 

A  day  never  passed  without  Mina's  lifting  her 
pretty  little  head,  and  saying,  "Papa,  sing  cLa 
Chevrette.' r  Wolf  could  never  resist  his  child's 
winning  ways;  and  he  sang  "La  Chevrette,"  not 
waiting  to  be  coaxed.  Mina  would  listen  to  each 
couplet,  stock-still,  attentive,  and  with  an  ever- 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  13 

growing  interest;  but  as  soon  as  Wolf  began 
the  refrain,  — 

"Hop  la,  sautez,  ma  chevrette,"  — 

she  would  dart  to  the  floor  like  an  arrow,  and 
pirouette  on  her  little  legs  with  so  rhythmic  a 
movement,  and  such  comical  poses,  that  she 
made  the  old  tailor  cheerful  for  the  whole  day. 
Alas,  poor  man!  he  had  then  no  presentiment 
that  the  story  of  the  little  Tyrolean  shepherd 
would  soon  be  his  own.  In  this  world,  what 
makes  us  laugh  to-day,  often  makes  us  cry  to- 
morrow ! 


14  THE  LITTLE    GYPST. 


CHAPTER   II. 


HESE  little  exercises  of  singing  and 
dancing  were  looked  upon  by  Wolf 
as  recreations  only,  which  ought 
not  to  interfere  with  the  more 
serious  duties  of  a  father  of  a  family,  such  as 
the  moral  and  religious  education  of  the  little 
being  whom  God  had  confided  to  his  care. 
Wolf  taught  Mina  a  prayer,  which  she  repeated 
morning  and  evening.  Every  Sunday,  he  took 
her  to  church ;  and,  upon  their  return,  he  related 
to  her  the  beautiful  stories  in  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  showing  her  the  pictures  in  an  old 
Bible,  and  explaining  them  with  that  good  sense 
which  always  accompanies  an  honest  mind  and 
pure  heart,  filled  with  the  love  of  God  and  man. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  15 

Mina  listened  attentively  to  her  father's  words. 
It  was  good  seed  sown  in  good  ground. 

Wolf  had  an  even  temper,  and  a  particularly 
sweet  disposition,  which  was  ruffled  once  only 
during  his  life.  Directly  opposite  him,  in  a 
humble  cabin,  lived  an  old  woman  who  was 
called  Mother  Fritz.  God  had  sorely  tried  her. 
He  had  taken  from  her  in  one  year  her  husband 
and  her  two  sons.  It  is  very  sad  to  be  alone 
in  the  world,  especially  when  one  is  old,  poor, 
and  feeble.  In  the  winter,  Mother  Fritz  gath- 
ered dead  wood  in  the  forest,  to  keep  her  warm 
by,  and  cook  her  scanty  food.  In  summer, 
she  gleaned  after  the  harvesters,  and,  in  bad 
weather,  turned  her  wheel  and  spun  thread, 
which  she  sold  to  the  weavers.  These  resources 
would  not  have  kept  her  from  want,  had  she  not 
had  good  neighbors,  —  Father  Wolf,  above'  all, 
who  liked  her,  and  respected  her  highly,  for  her 
courage  and  resignation. 

In  front  of  Mother  Fritz's  cabin  was  a  small 


1 6  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

garden,  six  feet  square,  surrounded  with  a  quick- 
set hedge.  In  the  midst  of  some  sickly  vege- 
tables, and  two  or  three  stunted  currant-bushes, 
stood  a  magnificent  apple-tree,  the  branches  of 
which  bent  under  the  weight  of  the  fruit.  It 
was  the  beginning  of  autumn.  Little  Mina 
looked  out  from  her  window  at  these  tempting 
apples.  To  her  the  old  woman's  garden  seemed 
like  an  earthly  Paradise,  which,  as  though  it 
were  guarded  by  an  angel  with  a  flaming  sword, 
she  dared  not  approach. 

One  day,  when  Wolf  had  gone  to  carry  a  coat 
to  the  farthest  end  of  the  village,  and  Marguerite 
was  busy  preparing  dinner,  Mina  was  seized 
with  an  irresistible  longing  to  visit  the  garden. 
She  did  not  at  first  dream  of  touching  the  apples : 
she  wished  only  to  look  at  them  a  little  nearer. 
With  beating  heart,  she  crept  through  the  thorny 
hedge,  and  found  herself  face  to  face  with  the 
object  of  her  dreams.  She  stood  for  a  moment 
silent  with  wonder  and  delight.  "  Oh,  what 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  17 

beautiful  apples  !  "  she  cried.  One  in  particular 
drew  her  attention  •  rosy  and  round,  it  seemed 
to  smile  at  her  invitingly,  and  to  balance  itself 
—  the  imprudent  thing  !  —  on  the  very  end  of  a 
branch  bending  near  the  ground.  Mina  touched 
it,  trembling  :  it  dropped  into  her  hand  !  What 
was  to  be  done?  She  turned  it  over  and  over, 
divided  between  fear  and  desire.  She  smelt  it 
with  delight.  From  the  nose  to  the  mouth  the 
road  is  not  long.  Very  soon,  like  a  true  daugh- 
ter of  Eve,  she  bit  the  apple  with  her  pretty  little 
teeth.  All  of  a  sudden  a  terrible  voice  was 
heard,  —  "  What  are  you  doing  there  ?  " 

"  Papa,  I  am  doing  nothing,"  replied  Mina, 
very  much  scared. 

:?  You  are  telling  me  a  lie,  little  thief; "  and  at 
the  same  time  he  snatched  away  the  apple, 
which  she  held  tight  in  her  little  hand.  Denial 
was  impossible.  Mina  was  caught  with  her 
hand  in  the  sack,  as  the  saying  is. 

"  To  steal  from  the  poor  is  doubly  wicked." 


1 8  THE  LITTLE    GYPST. 

w  I  will  never  do  so  again,  I  will  never  do  so 
again,"  cried  little  Mina,  clasping  her  hands. 

Wolf  seized  the  culprit,  and  was  preparing  to 
give  her  a  correction  well  known  to  little  chil- 
dren who  misbehave  themselves,  when  Mother 
Fritz  all  at  once  interposed. 

"  Wolf,  do  not  whip  the  little  one." 

w  But  I  have  caught  her  stealing  your  apples." 

"  No  matter  :  I  give  them  to  her.  Wolf,  you 
will  really  distress  me  very  much." 

tc  Very  well ;  kneel  down,  and  ask  Mother 
Fritz's  pardon,"  said  Wolf,  delighted  at  heart  to 
spare  Mina  this  mortifying  punishment,  without 
compromising  the  paternal  authority. 

"  Mother — Fritz  —  I  —  ask  —  your — pardon," 
sobbed  Mina,  on  her  knees,  with  clasped 
hands. 

"  I  forgive  you  with  all  my  heart,"  replied 
Mother  Fritz,  embracing  her.  "But  were  my 
apples  good?"  she  added,  smiling. 

"  Oh,  very  good,  Mother  Fritz,  very  good !  " 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  19 

"Well,  I  will  give  you  some  when  they  are 
riper." 

Wolf  slipped  a  kreutzer  in  the  hand  of  the 
good  old  woman,  who  refused  it.  He  insisted. 

:?You  surely  do  not  wish  to  humble  a  poor 
old  woman  whom  you  have  so  often  obliged." 

Wolf  appreciated  this  delicacy  of  feeling.  He 
thanked  Mother  Fritz,  and  returned  home  with 
Mina. 

This  little  scene  was  an  event  in  Mina's  life. 
It  made  a  deep  impression  upon  her.  Far  from 
feeling  bitter  toward  her  father,  as  is  sometimes 
the  case  with  badly  disposed  children,  her  re- 
spect and  affection  for  him  were  doubled.  As 
for  Marguerite,  time  did  not  render  her  more 
reasonable.  On  the  contrary,  she  was  more  un- 
wise than  ever.  She  never  could  find  any  thing 
too  good  or  too  dear  for  her  child.  On  Sunday, 
when  she  had  passed  two  hours  in  curling  her 
hair  and  dressing  her,  she  would  criticise,  on  her 
way  to  church,  all  the  village  children  they  met. 


20  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

One  was  in  rags,  another  dressed  without  any 
taste,  another  had  red  hair  and  crooked  legs  ; 
while  Mina  was  a  little  wonder,  and  it  broke  her 
heart  to  see  her  doomed  to  vegetate  all  her  life 
in  the  midst  of  a  desert. 

It  grieved  Wolf  to  hear  his  wife  talk  thus  ; 
and,  as  though  struck  by  a  sad  presentiment,  he 
said,  shaking  his  head,  "Marguerite,  Margue- 
rite, you  are  too  proud.  God  will  punish  us." 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 


21 


CHAPTER   III. 


NE  day  a  troop  of  gypsies  passed 
through  the  village.  They  came 
from  Italy,  and  crossed  the  Tyrol 
on  their  way  to  Silesia,  where,  every 
seven  years,  at  Pentecost,  they  had  a  meeting, 
presided  over  by  their  king.  The  band  consisted 
of  about  twenty  persons,  —  men,  women,  and 
children.  A  tall  old  man,  with  a  magnificent 
white  beard,  bearing  a  long  stick  hooked  at 
the  end  like  the  crosier  of  a  bishop,  towered 
above  the  rest  of  his  companions,  like  a  century- 
old  oak  in  the  midst  of  a  forest.  It  was  Rabba, 
the  chief.  One  might  have  taken  him  for  a 
patriarchal  saint  of  biblical  times,  were  it  not 


22  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

for  a  certain  cast  of  the  left  eye,  and  a  contrac- 
tion of  the  lower  lip,  which  showed  that  he  was 
of  a  malicious  and  bantering  disposition. 

At  his  right  was  a  tall,  strapping  fellow  with 
round  shoulders,  rough,  curly  hair,  and  long  and 
slender  fingers.  His  expression  was  dark  and 
unsteady,  and  he  had  all  the  distinctive  marks 
of  a  professional  thief.  He  looked  also  like  a 
man  of  violent  passions,  which  might,  on  occa- 
sion, turn  the  thief  into  an  assassin. 

Behind  him  marched  a  man  of  about  forty, 
whose  bright  and  honest  physiognomy  con- 
trasted strongly  with  that  of  the  rest  of  the  troop. 
Petrolino  was  not  a  gypsy  by  birth.  A  child  of 
beautiful  Venice,  he  had,  when  fifteen,  quitted 
the  city  of  lagoons,  from  a  love  of  independence 
and  adventure ;  and  also  to  escape  from  his 
father,  a  brutal  and  miserly  gondolier,  who  gave 
his  son  more  blows  than  bread.  A  mandolin, 
slung  over  his  shoulder  in  bandoleer  fashion,  indi- 
cated that  Petrolino  was  the  musician  of  the  troop. 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  23 

Among  the  women,  some  of  whom  bore  young 
children  on  their  backs,  whilst  others  dragged 
them  by  the  hand,  was  an  old  hag,  with  a  hooked 
nose,  like  a  bird  of  prey,  and  a  sunken  eye, 
which  at  times  seemed  to  dart  sparks  of  fire. 
In  her  whole  appearance  there  was  something 
so  dark  and  implacable  (like  fate  itself),  that  she 
inspired  even  her  companions  with  a  supersti- 
tious terror.  She  was  called  Zara  the  Sorceress. 
Her  trade  was  telling  fortunes,  and  in  this  dark 
art  she  surpassed  all  the  women  of  her  race. 
Her  heart  was  colder  and  more  withered  than  a 
usurer's.  It  had  one  weak  spot  only,  and  that 
was  affection  for  her  grandson,  Kokorik,  a 
wicked  scapegrace  of  twelve,  ugly  and  de- 
formed both  in  mind  and  body.  One  might 
have  said  that  Zara  loved  her  grandson  for  his 
wickedness.  Rabba  had  given  this  little  rogue 
the  care  of  the  ass  who  bore  on  his  back  the 
luggage  of  the  band.  The  choice  was  a  good 
one,  I  assure  you.  As  the  ass  would  often  stop 


24  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

by  the  way  to  browse,  Kokorik  had  fashioned  a 
stick  with  a  very  sharp  point,  which  he  dug  into 
the  flanks  of  the  poor  animal,  who  would  resume 
his  march,  braying  plaintively. 

When  the  gypsies  reached  the  square  before 
the  church,  the  chief  made  them  a  sign  to  halt, 
and  all  the  village  ran  thither  to  see  them. 
Mina,  holding  her  mother's  hand,  gazed  at  them 
with  wonder,  mingled  with  fear.  Petrolino,  the 
man  with  the  mandolin,  played  a  prelude  on  his 
instrument,  and  presently  one  of  the  women 
began  to  sing,  in  a  strange  tongue,  a  song  with 
a  fantastic  rhyme;  the  rest  of  the  troop  all  join- 
ing in  the  refrain,  while  the  little  gypsies  hopped 
about,  uttering  wild  cries. 

Mina,  excited  by  the  sight,  dropped  her 
mother's  hand,  and  began  to  dance  like  the  little 
gypsies.  Petrolino,  observing  her,  uttered  an 
exclamation  of  astonishment,  which  attracted 
old  Zara's  attention.  The  sight  of  this  charm- 
ing little  creature  instantly  suggested  an  evil 


THE  LITTLE    GYP  ST.  25 

purpose  to  the  wicked  old  sorceress.  She  drew 
near. 

"Who  is  this  beautiful  child?"  she  asked  in  a 
honeyed  voice. 

"  She  is  my  daughter,"  replied  Marguerite, 
with  pride. 

"  I  see  on  her  brow  signs  of  a  great  future. 
Give  me  two  kreutzers,  and  I  will  reveal  her 
good  fortune." 

Marguerite  drew  quickly  irom  her  pocket  two 
kreutzers,  which  she  gave  to  the  fortune-teller. 
The  latter  took  Mina's  hand,  and  examined  it  in 
silence.  Suddenly  she  turned  to  her  compan- 
ions, and  cried  to  them  in  the  gypsy  tongue,  — 

"  She  has  a  star  on  the  mount  of  Jupiter! " 

These  magical  words  passed  from  mouth  to 
mouth,  and  all  the  gypsies  pressed  around  Zara, 
listening  attentively  while  she  continued  the 
horoscope. 

"Jupiter  .  ...  the  sun  .  .  .  glory  .  .  .  fortune  .  .  . 
an  obstacle  .  .  .  overcome." 


26  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

Suddenly  a  man  made  his  way  through  the 
crowd.  It  was  Wolf.  He  seized  little  Mina  with 
one  hand,  and  Marguerite  with  the  other,  saying 
to  the  latter,  in  a  stern  voice,  "  Come  home." 

Marguerite  wished  to  tell  her  husband  of  the 
great  destiny  promised  to  their  child;  but  Wolf 
interrupted  her  sharply. 

"  God  only  knows  the  future,  and  he  design- 
edly hides  it  from  us.  These  gypsies  are  a 
miserable  race,  without  either  faith  or  law,  who 
live  by  plunder  and  stealing  young  children." 

K  Let  them  not  touch  my  Mina  !  "  cried  Mar- 
guerite, pressing  her  child  to  her  bosom. 

Neither  Wolf  nor  his  wife  noticed  that  they 
were  followed  by  a  gypsy,  who  had  left  the 
band,  and  was  examining  at  a  distance  the 
tailor's  house  and  its  neighborhood,  like  a  kite 
watching  the  thicket  into  which  a  pretty  dove 
has  disappeared. 

When  Makitou  returned,  and  rendered  an 
account  of  his  mission,  Rabba  immediately  gave 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  27 

the  signal  for  departure.  The  gypsies  halted 
on  the  edge  of  a  coppice  at  a  short  distance  from 
the  village.  Then  the  chief,  like  a  good  father 
of  a  family,  inquired  into  the  state  of  the  larder. 
The  cupboard  was  bare. 

"  Do  you  want  to  sup  ?  " 

:?  Yes,"  cried  all  the  band,  with  admirable 
unanimity. 

"Well,  my  children,  go  to  market,  while  we 
old  people  are  busy  about  other  important  mat- 
ters. Kokorik,  I  want  very  much  to  eat  a  goose 
for  supper." 

w  If  I  meet  with  one  in  the  market,  I  will  not 
fail  to  buy  it  for  your  lordship." 

The  women  and  children  took  their  sacks*  and 
baskets,  and  started  off. 

"  Do  you  want  money  ? "  cried  the  chief  to 
them  in  a  bantering  tone. 

One  of  the  women  replied  by  singing,  — 

"  What  he  finds  on  his  road 
Belongs  to  the  gypsy." 


28  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

"  Now,"  said  Rabba  to  the  others,  —  that  is  to 
say,  to  Petrolino,  Makitou,  and  Zara,  «the  old 
sorceress,  —  "  take  your  places  :  the  council  is 
opened." 

He  seated  himself  with  dignity  on  a  big  stone, 
with  his  staff  in  his  hand,  while  his  cabinet 
grouped  themselves  around  him  at  a  respectful 
distance. 

"  Do  you  think,"  said  Rabba,  who  was  the 
first  to  speak,  "  that  it  would  be  for  the  interest 
of  our  society  to  adopt  the  little  creature  in 
question?" 

"  Without  a  doubt,"  replied  Zara.  "  We  shall 
pass  through  many  of  the  large  cities,  where  it 
will  not  be  safe  to  exercise  the  privileges  of  our 
order." 

"Yes,"  said  Rabba;  "the  police  always  obsti- 
nately refuse  to  recognize  them." 

"We  shall  therefore  have  to  fall  back  on 
begging,  telling  fortunes,  and  performing  in  the 
public  squares.  The  age  of  the  little  one;  her 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  29 

natural  talents,  which  Petrolino  will  develop, — 
all  this,  I  am  sure,  will  interest  the  foolish  crowd, 
and  rain  gold  into  our  purse." 

"Zara  is  probably  right,"  rejoined  Rabba. 
"  The  little  one  has  all  the  graces  of  her  age,  — 
beauty  and  candor,  —  qualities  which  shine 
among  us  from  their  absence.  For,  betwixt  you 
and  me,  our  faces  have  character,  but  they  are 
lacking  in  attractiveness.  It  is  our  privilege 
(not  very  flattering,  it  is  true)  to  make  dogs  and 
children  fly  at  our  approach.  Well,  it  is  settled 
that  we  shall  adopt  the  young  peasant?" 

"  But,"  timidly  objected  Petrolino,  "  if  the 
child  has  a  star,  as  Zara  predicts,  it  is  doubtful 
whether  she  will  become  our  companion." 

At  this  not  very  complimentary  objection,  old 
Rabba  knit  his  brows. 

?  What    dost    thou    say,    Master    Petrolino  ? 
Dost  thou,  then,  consider  thyself  so  unlucky?  " 

"No,  my  lord,"  replied  Petrolino  quickly. 
"You  have  misunderstood  me." 


30  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

"  I  say  it  again,"  said  Zara  sententiously; 
"there  is  a  brilliant  destiny  in  store  for  the 
child.  The  stars  predict  for  her  glory,  happi- 
ness, fortune;  but  she  must  first  pass  through 
terrible  trials." 

"  Oh !  well,  then,  that  is  another  thing,"  re- 
plied Petrolino.  "  But  how  shall  we  get  posses- 
sion of  the  little  one?" 

"Nothing  is  easier,"  replied  Makitou  in  his 
turn.  "The  tailor's  house  is  lonely.  In  the 
middle  of  the  night,  we  will  break  open  the 
door,  gag  the  father  and  mother,  and  carry  off 
the  bird." 

"Scandal!  violence!"  exclaimed  the  chief; 
"bad  means!  Thou  knowest,  Makitou,  that  it 
is  my  principle  to  pluck  the  goose  without 
making  him  cry  out." 

"  As  for  me,  I  wring  his  neck,  and  then  pluck 
him  afterward." 

"  Makitou,  thou  wilt  come  to  a  bad  end." 

"He  will  be  hung,"  said  Zara:  "it  is  written 
in  his  hand." 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  31 

"  Hold  thy  tongue,  old  witch !  the  cord  which 
will  hang  me  is  not  spun  yet." 

"  I  see  the  hemp  sown  which  will  serve  thy 
executioner,"  replied  Zara,  in  a  sinister  voice. 

Makitou  shuddered. 

"Silence,  Zara!"  said  the  chief,  sharply:  "if 
Makitou  is  to  be  hung,  he  will  know  it  soon 
enough." 

Petrolino,  absorbed  in  his  reflections,  suddenly 
exclaimed,  "I  have  it:  trust  to  me,  and  the  lark 
will  come  herself  into  our  net." 

"  Petrolino,"  said  Rabba,  "  if  thou  succeedest, 
I  will  give  thee  my  beautiful  red  mantle,  which 
I  borrowed  twenty  years  ago  from  a  Venetian 
senator." 

w  My  lord,  the  mantle  is  mine,"  replied  Petro- 
lino, joyfully,  who  saw  himself  already  draped  in 
the  majestic  folds  of  that  princely  garment,  the 
dream  of  his  life  for  ten  years. 

"  Here  come  our  housekeepers  from  the 
market,"  said  Rabba,  rising  abruptly  to  go  and 
meet  the  marauders. 


32  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

The  women  came  first :  one  bearing  a  sack 
full  of  apples;  another,  an  enormous  loaf  of  rye- 
bread;  a  third,  chickens  and  ducks.  Kokorik 
trotted  proudly  at  the  head  of  his  little  com- 
panions. From  the  end  of  the  stick  which  he 
carried  on  his  shoulder  hung  a  goose  whose 
size  drew  from  Rabba  a  cry  of  admiration.  He 
gave  Kokorik  a  sharp  pinch  of  the  ear,  —  his 
greatest  mark  of  approbation  :  consequently 
Kokorik  seemed  highly  flattered. 

"  My  children,"  said  he  to  the  plunderers,  "  I 
am  pleased  with  you.  Go  into  the  woods  and 
hide  these  glorious  trophies  from  the  eyes  of  the 
profane;  put  them  on  the  back  of  our  brave 
Rustaud  [the  name  he  had  given  to  the  ass] ; 
then  rest  yourselves,  if  you  feel  so  disposed,  but 
be  ready  to  start  at  the  first  signal.  I  warn  you 
that  this  evening  we  shall  sup  very  late.  We 
shall  have  to  work  with  our  legs,  before  working 
with  our  jaws." 


THE  LITTLE    GYPST.  33 


CHAPTER   IV. 


N  the  mean  while,  Petrolino  had  been 
forming  his  plan  of  campaign.  He 
quitted  the  troop,  accompanied  by 
Zara  and  Makitou,  whom  he  posted 
on  the  outskirts  of  the  village,  in  giving  them  his 
instructions.  He  concealed  himself  behind  a 
hedge  of  brushwood  facing  Wolf's  house,  so 
that  he  might  watch  the  movements  of  the 
enemy.  Petrolino  was  certainly  not  a  wicked 
man.  The  course  of  this  story  will  show  that 
he  even  possessed  noble  qualities;  and  yet  he 
was  ready  to  commit,  from  gayety  of  heart,  the 
act  of  a  scoundrel.  Strange,  indeed,  he  would 
have  blushed  to  steal  a  pin  from  Father  Wolf; 


34  THE  LITTLE   GTPST. 

yet  he  did  not  hesitate  to  rob  him  of  his  dearest 
treasure,  his  blood,  his  life;  to  plunge  these  poor 
people  in  despair,  and  throw  an  innocent  crea- 
ture into  the  midst  of  a  band  of  robbers  and  lost 
women,  —  so  surely  does  bad  company  finish  at 
last  by  depraving  natures  naturally  good. 

Petrolino  remained  in  ambush  for  two  hours, 
and  saw  the  tailor  still  sewing  at  the  window, 
without  raising  his  eyes  from  his  work.  The 
sun  disappeared  behind  the  hills:  Wolf  lit  a 
lamp,  and  sat  down  again  to  his  work  with  the 
same  energy.  Mina,  seated  by  him  on  a  little 
stool,  looked  at  pictures  in  the  old  family  Bible. 
Marguerite  came  and  went,  busy  with  domestic 
cares.  Petrolino  was  beginning  to  get  discour- 
aged, when  finally  the  door  opened,  and  Wolf 
came  out,  carrying  a  bundle  under  his  arm,  and 
talking  with  Marguerite.  He  charged  her  not 
to  leave  the  house,  and  to  watch  well  over  the 
child.  But  her  husband  was  scarcely  out  of 
sight  before  Marguerite  told  Mina  to  be  very 


THE  LITTLE    GTPSY.  35 

good ;  that  she  was  going  out  to  fetch  some 
bread  for  supper.  The  truth  was,  she  wanted  to 
go  to  the  neighbors,  to  talk  over  with  them 
the  fine  predictions  of  the  fortune-teller.  Still 
she  took  the  precaution  to  turn  the  key  in  the 
door. 

Petrolino,  who  watched  all  her  movements, 
now  approached  with  stealthy  steps,  and  looked 
in  at  the  window.  Mina  was  still  engrossed  by 
the  pictures  in  the  Bible.  Petrolino  then  struck 
a  few  notes  on  his  mandolin.  Mina,  astonished, 
at  once  raised  her  little  head.  Petrolino  took  a 
few  steps  backward,  and  played  one  of  his  most 
beautiful  airs.  Mina  hastily  opened  the  window, 
and  listened  with  delight;  but  very  soon  the 
sounds  grew  more  and  more  indistinct  in  the  . 
distance.  Forgetting  the  cautions  of  her  father 
and  mother,  the  imprudent  child  jumped  from 
the  window  to  hear  better  this  invisible  musician, 
who  seemed  to  recede  the  farther  she  advanced. 
Still  she  went  on,  attracted,  fascinated.  Sud- 


36  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

denly  the  music  ceased;  tall  shadows  loomed  up 
before  the  affrighted  child,  who  was  seized, 
gagged,  and  carried  off,  before  she  had  time  to 
utter  a  single  cry. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  37 


CHAPTER  V. 


IME  passes  quickly  when  we  are 
talking  over  the  predictions  of  a 
fortune-teller.  On  so  fruitful  a 

s 

theme,  the  variations  are  infinite. 
Consequently  an  hour  had  already  passed  away 
when  Marguerite  took  the  road  back  to  her 

O 

home.  "Now  if  only  Wolf  has  not  come  back," 
she  said  to  herself,  quickening  her  steps. 

She  was  very  much  astonished  to  see  the 
window  wide  open.  Pushing  open  the  door 
with  a  trembling  hand,  she  looked  around.  Mina 
was  not  there.  She  called:  there  was  no  reply. 
Wolf  came  in  at  this  moment. 

"Where  is  Mina?" 


38  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

"I  do  not  know,"  replied  Marguerite,  who 
was  beginning  to  lose  her  wits. 

"You  went  out?" 

"  A  moment,  to  get  some  bread." 

"Wretched  woman!"  cried  Wolf,  in  despair: 
"  my  presentiment  has  come  true." 

"  She  is  at  the  neighbors'." 

Wolf  clutched  at  this  idea,  like  a  drowning 
man  at  a  rotten  plank.  Marguerite  and  he 
knocked  from  door  to  door.  No  one,  alas!  had 
seen  the  little  Mina. 

The  whole  village  was  thrown  into  a  state  of 
excitement. 

"  It  is  those  cursed  gypsies  who  have  carried 
her  off,"  said  one. 

"They  have  robbed  my  orchard,"  said  another. 

"  And  my  poultry-yard." 

"  My  dear  little  Mina,  my  poor  spotless  lamb, 
shall  I  never  see  you  more  ?  "  cried  Wolf,  raising 
his  eyes  to  heaven,  as  though  appealing  for 
succor. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  39 

As  for  Marguerite,  with  her  drooping  head 
and  haggard  eyes,  she  looked  like  the  statue  of 
Despair.  The  grief  of  these  poor  people  was 
truly  pitiable. 

In  the  middle  of  a  group  of  villagers  who 
were  talking  over  the  events  of  the  day  was  an 
old  cottager,  who  by  his  scarred  face,  his  proud 
and  erect  bearing,  and,  above  all,  by  his  wooden 
leg,  could  be  easily  recognized  as  an  old  soldier. 
He  had,  in  fact,  been  in  the  war  twenty  years. 
In  his  last  battle,  a  bullet  had  carried  off  his  left 
leg;  and  the  grateful  state  made  him  a  present 
of  a  wooden  one,  which  was  all  the  benefit  he 
reaped  from  his  campaigns.  He  was  a  decided 
man,  who  preferred  actions  to  words:  so,  after 
impatiently  listening  to  the  harangues  of  all  the 
village  orators, — 

"There  has  been  talk  enough,"  he  said  to 
them,  curtly:  "while  you  are  all  chattering  at 
once  like  magpies  in  a  field  of  wheat,  the  enemy 
is  gaining  ground.  Take  your  pitchforks  and 


40  .      THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

your  sticks,  and  I  will  unhook  my  old  musket, 
and  we  will  pursue  the  gypsies." 

This  proposition  was  received  with  shouts  of 
approbation.  The  crowd  dispersed,  and  soon 
returned  armed  to  the  teeth.  Lighting  torches 
of  resin,  the  battalion  fell  into  order  of  march, 
under  the  command  of  the  man  with  the  wooden 
leg. 

When  the  little  company  reached  the  middle 
of  a  great  plain,  the  old  soldier  ordered  a  halt, 
and  enjoined  upon  his  comrades  the  greatest 
silence.  They  listened,  but  heard  nothing  except 
the  sound  of  the  wind  in  the  trees,  and  the 
plaintive  cries  of  the  owl.  Marguerite  called, 
"Mina!"  "Mina!"  in  a  heart-rending  voice:  the 
echo  alone  replied  to  her. 

After  wandering  about  in  vain  for  several 
hours,  they  were  compelled  to  stop ;  and,  in 
spite  of  the  entreaties  of  Marguerite,  they 
turned  back  to  the  village.  The  next  morning, 
the  worthy  peasants  lent  Wolf  and  the  old 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  41 

soldier  horses,  and  the  two  scoured  the  neigh- 
borhood, questioning  every  one  they  met;  but 
nobody  had  seen  the  gypsies.  They  came 
finally  to  the  verge  of  a  forest;  but  the  old 
soldier  convinced  Wolf  that  it  would  be  useless 
and  imprudent  to  venture  at  night  into  the  wind- 
ings of  such  a  labyrinth. 

The  first  streaks  of  morning  light  were  bright- 
ening the  horizon  when  the  travellers  reached 
their  home.  When  Wolf,  with  stricken  heart, 
entered  his  poor  cabin,  Marguerite,  crouching  by 
the  hearth,  rose  up  like  a  spectre;  but,  seeing 
that  he  was  alone,  she  uttered  a  hollow  cry,  and 
fell  to  the  ground.  But  Wolf  knelt  down;  and 
after  having  wept  and  prayed  a  long  time,  his 
forehead  in  the  dust,  he  exclaimed  like  holy  Job, 
"  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  has  taken  away : 
blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord! " 


42 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 


CHAPTER   VI. 


T  was  not  surprising  that  Wolf  and 
his  friends  did  not  overtake  the 
gypsies.  The  latter  had  already 
been  marching  at  full  speed  for 
nearly  two  hours,  before  the  villagers  had 
thought  of  pursuing  them.  Little  Mina  was 
more  dead  than  alive.  Upon  finding  herself 
among  the  gypsies,  she  uttered  at  first  piercing 
cries,  calling  upon  her  father  and  mother.  Then 
the  old  hag  beat  her,  swearing  that  she  would 
kill  her,  if  she  cried  again.  After  an  hour  of 
forced  marching,  the  poor  child  fell,  exhausted 
with  fatigue. 

"Wait  a  moment:   I  will  give  thee  legs,"  said 
Zara,  shaking  her  roughly. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  43 

Petrolino,  moved  with  compassion,  interposed, 
and  took  Mina  in  his  arms.  The  poor  child 
became  quiet  at  once.  She  understood  that  God 
had  sent  her  a  protector.  Zara  marched  along, 
muttering  curses  against  Petrolino.  She  was 
like  a  snarling  dog  whose  bone  has  been 
snatched  from  between  his  teeth. 

The  gypsies  reached  in  safety  the  entrance  of 
the  forest.  To  hide  from  the  pursuit  which  they 
had  every  reason  to  fear,  they  made  a  way  for 
themselves  through  the  underbrush,  and  soon 
reached  an  open  valley,  crowned  by  a  layer  of 
rocks,  from  whose  height  fell  in  cascades  a 
stream  of  water,  which,  having  worn  for  itself  a 
bed,  made  its  peaceable  way  through  the  depths 
of  the  forest.  The  spot  looked  inviting  and 
hospitable.  Old  Rabba,  with  one  glance,  per- 
ceived its  advantages.  He  cried  out,  in  his  deep 
voice, — 

"  Halt,  and  prepare  supper.  We  will  pass  the 
night  here." 


44  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

All  the  troop  stopped.  The  ass  was  immedi- 
ately relieved  of  his  burden,  and  the  poor 
animal,  delighted  to  be  free,  shook  himself  a  few 
moments,  then  rolled  on  the  grass,  and  afterward 
began  to  graze.  He  had  well  earned  his  supper. 
A  woman  plucked  the  goose  Kokorik  had 
stolen  ;  others  searched  the  woods  for  dry 
branches;  and,  with  the  help  of  a  tinder-box 
and  a  pebble  (lucifer-matches  were  not  then 
invented),  they  kindled  a  fire  big  enough  to  roast 
an  ox.  When  the  goose  was  plucked  and  drawn, 
it  was  spitted  on  an  old  rapier,  which  they  rested 
on  two  andirons  made  out  of  sticks  of  wood 
firmly  driven  into  the  ground. 

"  Everybody  works  here,  little  one,"  said  the 
chief  to  Mina.  "I  do  not  feed  drones;  turn  the 
spit." 

When  Mina  neglected  to  fulfil  her  office,  the 
old  sorceress,  who  was  seated  near  her,  recalled 
her  to  her  duty,  by  a  sharp  rap  on  her  fingers 
with  a  stick. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  45 

Rabba  watched  the  curious  changes  produced 
by  the  fire  on  his  favorite  bird  with  a  lively 
interest.  When  he  noticed,  by  its  beautiful 
golden  color,  and  especially  by  the  delicious 
fragrance  which  exhaled  from  it,  that  the  roast 
was  done  to  a  turn,  he  ordered  it  to  be  taken 
from  the  spit.  He  then  carved  it  himself  with 
great  skill;  put  on  one  side,  for  himself,  the  most 
succulent  morsel;  and  royally  distributed  the 
rest  to  his  subjects.  Though  Mina  was  very 
hungry,  she  refused  to  eat. 

w  At  thy  pleasure,  little  one,"  said  Rabba  in  a 
bantering  tone;  "when  we  do  not  sup,  we  break- 
fast with  better  appetite." 

When  the  edge  of  their  hunger  was  appeased, 
their  tongues  were  unloosed,  and  they  naturally 
fell  to  talking  over  the  events  of  the  day.  Pet- 
rolino  was  complimented  by  the  whole  band, 
especially  by  Rabba,  who  forgot,  however,  the 
promised  reward.  Petrolino  ventured  timidly 
to  hint  at  this  subject. 


46  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

"Ah!  ah!  what  a  memory  we  have!  It  is 
very  right.  A  sovereign  must  keep  his  word. 
Give  Petrolino  my  Venetian  mantle." 

One  of  the  women  drew  out,  from  among  the 
luggage,  the  mantle,  whose  scarlet  color  had 
struggled  valiantly  with  twenty  years  of  a 
tolerably  stormy  career. 

Petrolino  did  not  wait  until  the  morrow  to 
adorn  himself  with  his  trophy.  He  threw  it 
over  his  shoulders  with  the  artistic  taste  inborn 
with  Italians,  took  his  mandolin,  and  sung  one  of 
his  prettiest  barcarolles,  to  the  applause  of  the 
assembly. 

"  Petrolino,"  said  Rabba,  "  I  am  pleased  with 
thee:  thou  art  a  great  artist;  therefore  I  confide 
to  thee  the  education  of  the  new-comer.  But, 
while  I  think  of  it,  —  what  shall  we  call  her  ?  " 

w  La  Biondina." 

t?Very  good.  The  name  is  written  on  her 
face.  La  Biondina,  I  present  to  thee  Petrolino, 
thy  father." 


THE  LITTLE    GYPST.  47 

"My  father  is  called  Wolf,  and  my  mother 
Marguerite,  and  I  am  Mina,"  replied  she,  with  a 
spiteful  air,  so  comical  that  all  the  gypsies, 
Rabba  among  them,  burst  into  a  loud  laugh. 

"  Little  one,  listen  attentively  to  what  I  am 
going  to  say  to  thee,"  rejoined  Rabba,  when 
silence  was  restored.  "  There  is  no  longer  any 
Mina,  nor  Wolf,  nor  Marguerite.  Thou  wert 
born  among  us.  Thy  name  is  La  Biondina,  and 
thy  father's  is  Petrolino.  Try  hard  to  get  this 
new  pedigree  into  thy  head,  or  we  will  introduce 
it  by  means  which  will  not  be  to  thy  taste." 

This  little  warning  was  pronounced  in  a  dry 
and  decided  tone,  which  admitted  of  no  reply. 
As  a  criminal  who  has  just  heard  his  sentence  of 
death,  Mina  felt  all  her  strength  deserting  her. 

"  And  now,  my  children,"  said  Rabba,  with  a 
most  paternal  accent,  "we  shall  start  to-morrow 
at  break  of  day.  Sleep  with  clinched  fists,  and 
one  ear  open,  like  true  children  of  Bohemia. 
Ah!"  added  he,  after  a  pause,  "give  your  mat- 


48  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

tresses  a  good  shaking;  for  as  you  make  your 
bed,  so  you  must  lie." 

Rabba  had  always  ready  some  little  witticism. 
He  tempered  by  pleasantry  the  severity  of  his 
government.  With  him  this  system  worked  well. 

The  gypsies,  accustomed  to  sleep  in  the  open 
air,  were  not  long  in  making  their  beds.  Mina 
sat  leaning  against  a  tree,  silently  weeping,  and 
thinking  of  her  father  and  mother.  Kokorik, 
who  was  passing,  stopped  before  her. 

"Good-evening,  La  Biondina:  have  no  bad 
dreams,  La  Biondina,"  said  he,  with  a  malicious 
chuckle. 

Poor  Mina  was  too  sad  to  be  disturbed  by  the 
fun  of  this  wicked  boy.  She  knelt  down,  and, 
with  clasped  hands,  repeated,  in  a  low  voice, 
the  little  prayer  which  her  father  had  taught  her. 
At  this  moment,  Petrolino,  who  was  stalking 
about  proudly  in  his  fine  scarlet  mantle,  seeking 
a  place  in  which  to  pass  the  night,  saw,  by  the 
rays  of  the  moon,  little  Mina  leaning  against  a 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  49 

tree,  her  teeth  chattering  with  cold.  Fright, 
hunger,  fatigue,  had  put  her  into  a  fever. 

The  sight  touched  Petrolino.  "Heaving  a  sigh, 
he  took  from  his  shoulders  the  good  mantle  in 
which  he  had  contemplated  sleeping  like  a  preb- 
endary, and  wrapped  up  Mina  in  it.  Thanks  to 
the  amplitude  of  the  stuff,  he  saw,  with  a  very 
pardonable  satisfaction,  that  there  was  still 
enough  to  cover  him  from  head  to  foot. 

"After  all,  it  is  my  pupil,  almost  my  daughter," 
he  said  to  himself.  "It  is  only  right  that  I 
should  take  care  of  her." 

"  How  kind  you  are,  thank  you  !  "  repeated 
Mina,  several  times,  in  a  touching  voice. 

"  She  has  a  heart,  this  little  one,  —  and  what 
a  charming  voice!  If  we  try,  we  shall  make 
something  out  of  it." 

Petrolino  fell  asleep  with  this  idea,  which  was 
the  cause  of  some  fantastic  dreams. 

Thanks  to  the  comfort  of  the  mantle,  and 
the  confidence  which  her  new  friend  inspired; 


50  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

thanks,  above  all,  to  that  mutability  which  was 
one  of  the  blessings  of  her  age,  —  Mina  soon  fell 
into  a  .deep  sleep.  She  was  dreaming  of  going 
to  church  with  her  father  and  mother,  in  her  beau- 
tiful Sunday  clothes,  —  when  she  was  recalled 
to  the  sad  reality  by  the  sharp  voice  of  old  Zara, 
who  cried  to  her,  while  roughly  shaking  her,  — 

"  Come,  come,  get  up,  you  lazybones !  " 

Sleep  had  taken  away  her  fatigue,  but  had  not 
filled  her  little  stomach.  She  could  not  help 
saying,  in  a  low  voice,  "  I  am  very  hungry." 

Rabba  heard  her. 

"Ha,  ha!  the  open  air  has  given  us  an  appe- 
tite. Hold,  here  is  bread,  —  eat;  and  there  is 
wine,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the  stream,  —  w  drink 
from  the  very  cask." 

Mina  devoured  her  piece  of  bread,  drank 
several  draughts  of  the  water  which  she  dipped 
up  in  the  hollow  of  her  hand,  and  very  soon  all 
the  band,  at  a  sign  from  the  chief,  resumed  their 
tramp. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  51 


CHAPTER   VII. 


[OWARD  noon  the  gypsies  halted 
once  more  in  the  forest  for  food  and 
a  little  rest.  The  repast  over,  as  the 
weather  was  dull  and  cloudy,  they 
lay  down  and  were  soon  asleep.  Mina,  who 
thought  of  nothing  but  escaping,  deemed  this 
a  favorable  time.  She  threw  an  anxious  look 
over  her  companions.  They  were  all  lying  on 
the  grass,  motionless,  with  closed  eyes  and  in 
the  oddest  postures.  She  listened  :  the  chorus 
of  sleep  was  being  executed  to  the  life  in  snores, 
beginning  with  the  sharp  soprano  of  Kokorik, 
and  ending  with  the  powerful  bass  of  Rabba. 
This  music  gave  her  perfect  confidence.  She  got 
up  on  tip-toe,  cleared  lightly  the  circle  made  by 


52  THE  LITTLE    GTPSY. 

the  gypsies,  and  ran  with  all  the  power  of  her 
little  feet.  She  already  thought  herself  safe, 
when  old  Zara,  who  always  slept  with  one  eye 
open,  suddenly  cried  out, — 

"Quick,  quick!  La  Biondina  is  escaping." 
The  gypsies  were  on  their  feet  in  a  trice,  and 
pursuing  the  little  fugitive.  But,  impeded  by  the 
underbrush,  they  saw  with  rage  their  prey  about 
to  escape  them,  when  Kokorik  began  to  throw 
stones.  One  of  them  struck  poor  Mina,  who, 
uttering  a  cry,  stumbled  and  fell.  She  was  soon 
seized  by  the  terrible  old  witch,  and,  by  Rabba's 
orders,  was  whipped  as  never  child  was  whipped 
ever  since  there  have  been  children  and  sorcer- 
esses in  the  world. 

Petrolino  hung  his  head  in  sadness  during  this 
cruel  scene.  Poor  Mina's  cries  went  to  his 
heart;  but  he  did  not  dare  protest  against  a 
correction  which  he  thought  deserved.  A  long 
sojourn  among  the  gypsies  had  somewhat  warped 
the  ideas  of  the  worthy  Petrolino  respecting 


"Quick,  quick!     Ln  Biondinn  is  cscapinir.'' — PAC;K  52. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  53 

justice  and  injustice.  He  possessed  in  the  high- 
est degree  what  is  called  esprit  de  corps  ;  and, 
among  gypsies  more  particularly,  esprit  de  corps 
is,  not  exactly  the  spirit  of  the  gospel. 

"  My  poor  Biondina,"  said  Petrolino,  when  the 
caravan  resumed  its  march,  "thou  seest  that 
such  ill-timed  pranks  cost  dear.  Trust  me,  do 
not  try  them  again.  The  arms  and  legs  of  the 
gypsies  are  much  longer  than  thine ;  they  will 
reach  thee  at  any  distance.  Be  patient:  thou 
wilt  in  time  get  used  to  our  vagabond  life.  It 
has  its  charm." 

He  then  told  her  about  all  the  countries  he 
had  traversed,  from  Venice  to  Constantinople 
and  from  Constantinople  to  Cadiz;  in  passing 
through  Southern  Russia,  Poland,  Germany,  the 
Low  Countries,  France,  and  Spain.  He  was 
himself  the  hero  and  poet  of  this  Odyssey,  full  of 
incidents,  which  were  sometimes  droll,  some- 
times dramatic.  Mina,  who  knew  nothing  of 
the  world,  listened  to  this  graphic  recital  with  a 


54  THE  LITTLE    GYPST. 

simple  eagerness,  which  flattered  prodigiously 
the  little  vanity  of  Petrolino. 

Thanks  to  these  interesting  talks,  and  the  songs 
intermingled  with  them,  and  more  particularly 
to  the  paternal  care  she  felt  Petrolino  extended 
over  her,  Mina  became  insensibly  used  to  her 
adventurous  life.  But,  happily,  the  conversation 
and  unchristian  example  of  her  associates  left  no 
evil  impression  upon  her  mind,  strengthened  as 
it  was  by  the  moral  and  religious  education 
which  she  had  received  from  her  father,  as  the 
following  instance  proves  :  — 

One  day,  in  their  route  through  a  village,  the 
gypsies  passed  by  a  pretty  country  house,  the 
garden  of  which  was  inclosed  by  high  walls. 
Among  the  trees  whose  branches  hung  over  the 
roadside  was  a  superb  apple-tree,  laden  with 
tempting  fruit,  but  hanging  so  high  that  it  only 
tantalized  the  thirsty  passers-by.  Not  being  able 
to  gather  the  fruit,  the  gypsies  tried  to  bring  it 
down  with  stones;  but  the  apples,  indignant, 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  55 

doubtless,  at  so  brutal  a  proceeding,  determined 
not  to  budge. 

Zara  then  said,  turning  to  Makitou,  — 

"  The  wise  man  has  said,  If  the  mountain  will 
not  come  to  thee,  go  thou  to  the  mountain. 
Makitou,  take  La  Biondina  on  thy  shoulder:  she 
can  climb  up  on  the  wall,  and  throw  us  the 
apples." 

"  That  is  a  good  idea,  and  I  will  act  upon  it," 
said  Makitou,  stooping  to  take  up  Mina  ;  but 
she  recoiled,  crying  out  with  indignation,  — 

"  I  am  not  a  thief." 

These  words  were  greeted  with  a  loud  burst 
of  laughter  ;  in  the  opinion  of  the  gypsies  they 
were  so  delightfully  innocent.  Makitou  made 
another  attempt  to  get  hold  of  Mina. 

"No,"  she  said,  in  a  resolute  tone;  "you  shall 
kill  me  rather." 

She  was  ever  hearing,  resounding  in  her  ear, 
the  terrible  voice  of  her  father  when  he  caught 
her  in  Mother  Fritz's  garden. 


56  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

Old  Zara,  furious  at  this  resistance,  seized  the 
child  by  the  arm,  and  raised  her  hand  to  strike 
her,  when  Petrolino  sprang  toward  the  hag,  and 
snatched  from  her  her  victim. 

"If  thou  touch  a  hair  of  her  head,  I  will 
strangle  thee,  old  hag." 

:?  What,  wretch  !  dar'st  thou  threaten  me  ?  " 

"  I  will  defend  La  Biondina  against  thee,  and 
against  everybody,"  added  Petrolino,  looking 
savagely  at  all  his  astonished  companions. 

"  Dost  thou  hear  him  ?  "  said  the  sorceress  to 
old  Rabba,  who  came  running  at  the  noise.  "  It 
is  the  end  of  the  world:  see,  the  lambs  are  re- 
volting!" 

"  The  lambs  are  at  last  getting  tired  of  being 
eaten  by  the  wolves." 

In  a  dry,  imperative  tone,  the  chief  imposed 
silence  upon  the  two  opponents,  and  cited  them 
before  his  tribunal.  Zara  spoke  first,  and  de- 
clared that  Petrolino  was  spoiling  La  Biondina, 
who  was  becoming  an  unbearable  child,  useless 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  57 

to  the  society  whose  usages  and  fundamental 
laws,  &c.,  she  despised. 

Petrolino  did  not  attempt  to  answer  her  long 
accusation.  He  merely  said,  that,  as  the  educa- 
tion of  La  Biondina  had  been  confided  to  him, 
he  was  not  willing  that  Zara  should  injure  his 
pupil,  and  ruin  her  delightful  voice,  by  con- 
tinually making  her  cry. 

After  having  listened  religiously  to  both  par- 
ties, old  Rabba  thought  a  moment,  and  then  in 
a  loud  voice  pronounced  the  following  judg- 
ment: — 

"  Considering  the  subject  from  one  point  of 
view,  Petrolino  is  right;  from  the  other,  Zara  is 
not  wrong.  Wishing  to  render  to  each  good 
and  equal  justice,  we  hereby  order  and  command 
that  Petrolino  is  to  have,  at  his  own  risk  and 
peril,  the  sole  charge- of  La  Biondina's  education, 
and  that  all  others  be  forbid  to  correct  or  strike 
his  pupil,  under  the  severest  penalties. 

"  For  every  infringement  of  our  order  of  which 


58  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

La  Biondina  may  be  guilty,  Petrolino  is  to  re- 
ceive blows  with  a  stick,  of  which  we,  in  our 
wisdom,  will  fix  the  number.  If,  by  any  neglect 
of  Petrolino,  La  Biondina  escape,  the  punish- 
ment will  be  trebled." 

This  judgment,  worthy  of  Solomon,  was 
received  by  the  whole  band  with  enthusiastic 
cheers.  Petrolino,  a  little  disconcerted,  scratched 
his  ear;  then,  moved  by  a  generous  impulse,  he 
said,  — 

"  I  accept  the  judgment.  .  .  .  Now,  my  darling 
Biondina,  I  am  at  thy  mercy;  but,  by  my  patron 
St.  Mark,  take  a  little  pity  on  my  poor  shoul- 
ders!" 

Mina  was  touched  by  this  devotion  of  the 
kind  Petrolino,  and  promised  to  make  no  more 
attempts  to  escape. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  59 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


HE  winter,  heralded  by  its  usual 
couriers,  winds  and  storms,  came 
on  apace.  From  time  to  time,  long 
lines  of  storks  were  seen  flying 
through  the  air,  on  their  way  to  warm  themselves 
by  the  sun  of  Egypt  ;  while  geese  and  wild 
ducks  swooped  down  on  the  lakes  and  marshes, 
bearing  on  their  wings  the  snow  and  ice  of  the 
north.  Sighing,  the  trees  cast  off  their  last  dry 
leaves,  and  seemed  to  pity  themselves  for  being 
so  unprotected  against  the  approach  of  the  terri- 
ble winter.  Poor  Mina  might  be  compared  to 
these  melancholy  trees.  She  had  lost  on  the 
route  her  pretty  red  and  white  cheeks  and  charm- 
ing plumpness,  which  were  the  pride  of  her 


60  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

mother.  Her  shoes,  worn  out  by  the  long  jour- 
ney, threatened  to  leave  her  altogether,  and  her 
ragged  clothes  no  longer  protected  her  against 
the  wind  and  rain.  Mina  suffered  in  silence,  for 
fear  of  grieving  still  further  the  kind  Petrolino, 
who,  in  looking  at  her  from  time  to  time,  ex- 
claimed, "Poverina!  Poverina!" 

Petrolino  cherished  for  his  little  protege  quite 
a  paternal  affection.  His  naturally  soft  heart, 
which  had  been  forced  back  upon  itself,  like  a 
sensitive  plant,  by  contact  with  his  coarse  and 
cynical  companions,  expanded  with  delight  under 
the  influence  of  this  sweet  creature,  whose 
caressing  voice  said  so  prettily,  "  Thank  you, 
friend  Petrolino." 

When  Mina's  shoes  gave  out  wholly,  Petrolino, 
not  wishing  her  to  walk  with  bare  feet,  took  her 
up  bravely  in  his  arms,  in  spite  of  her  remon- 
strances and  the  jeers  of  the  gypsies,  and  carried 
her  to  the  nearest  market-town,  where  Rabba 
had  decided  to  pass  the  night. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPSY.  61 

Petrolino  took  advantage  of  this  halt  to  attend 
to  Mina's  wardrobe.  He  first  bought  her  a  pair 
of  good  shoes,  and  then  proceeded  to  a  tailor's 
shop. 

"  Could  you  cut  me  a  cloak  for  the  little  one 
out  of  this  ?  "  said  he,  taking  off  his  mantle. 

"  What  !  this  ?  "  replied  the  tailor,  after  having 
spread  out  that  magnificent  product  of  Venetian 
industry;  "  why,  there  is  enough  here  to  clothe 
a  whole  family." 

"Very  well;  set  to  work.  I  must  have  the 
cloak  this  very  night.  Here  is  money;"  and  he 
drew  a  gold  piece  from  his  pocket. 

"Pshaw,  master!  you  do  not  give  me  time  to 
breathe;  but  you  shall  be  obeyed,  for,  in  cold 
like  this,  such  a  garment  will  not  be  a  luxury. 
Come,  wife,  lend  me  a  hand." 

The  tailor's  wife,  while  helping  her  husband, 
could  not  keep  her  eyes  off  of  Mina,  whose  sweet 
and  sad  expression,  and  poor  little  frock  in  rags, 
impressed  her  painfully. 


62  THE  LITTLE    GTPSY. 

" Is  she  your  child?"  she  said  at  last  to  Petro- 
lino. 

"Yes." 

w  Has  she  lost  her  mother?" 

"Yes." 

w  Poor  child." 

Mina,  touched  already  by  the  aspect  of  the 
dwelling,  which  reminded  her  of  her  own  home, 
could  not  restrain  her  tears.  Petrolino  chided 
her  gently,  and  made  her  sit  near  the  stove  to 
warm  herself. 

"  Hermann,"  said  the  tailor's  wife  to  him  in  a 
low  voice,  "  suppose  I  gave  this  little  girl  the 
last  frock  of  our  dear  Lisbeth  ?  " 

w  I  was  thinking  of  that,"  quietly  replied  the 
worthy  man. 

Mina  was  very  soon  dressed  from  head  to  foot 
in  Lisbeth's  clothes.  The  white  underclothing, 
the  good  woollen  garments,  warmed  her  body, 
while  the  caresses  and  kind  words  of  Mistress 
Hermann  warmed  her  heart.  When  supper  was 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  63 

served,  Petrolino  and  Mina  were  invited  to  par- 
take of  it.  Hermann  and  his  wife  did  the  honors 
with  delightful  good  humor.  Nothing  gives  so 
much  gayety  of  spirit  as  content  with  one's  self. 
To  recompense  his  hosts  while  they  were  work- 
ing for  him  with  so  much  energy,  Petrolino  took 
his  mandolin,  and  sang  some  of  his  prettiest 
barcarolles.  When  the  cloak  was  done,  and  put 
on  Mina's  shoulders,  the  good  people  would  not 
take  even  one  kreutzer,  in  spite  of  Petrolino's 
entreaties.  They  parted  with  tears  in  their  eyes, 
as  though  they  had  known  one  another  always. 
Kind-hearted  people  are  all  born  friends.  It  is 
friend  meeting  friend  again,  not  strangers  acci- 
dentally encountering  each  other. 

It  was  late  when  Petrolino  and  Mina  left  the 
tailor's  house,  and  they  made  haste  to  rejoin  their 
companions.  On  the  way,  Mina  could  not  help 
scolding  her  friend. 

"Thou  saidst  that  I  was  thy  daughter,  and 
that  my  mother  was  dead.  Thou  know'st  that 


64  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

that  is  not  true,  friend  Petrolino:  it  is  wicked 
to  lie." 

Petrolino  blushed,  and  stammered  out  some 
excuses  \  for  he  felt  within  himself  that  these 
reproaches  were  jus-t.  Mina  was  becoming  his 
living  conscience,  and  he  was  trying  to  make 
himself  better  to  please  her. 

When  they  entered  the  barn  which  served  the 
gypsies  for  a  lodging,  the  latter  were  already 
asleep.  When  morning  came,  Rabba  gave  the 
signal  for  departure,  and  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye  the  whole  band  were  on  their  feet.  Mina's 
brilliant  metamorphosis  was  then  perceived,  and 
called  forth  a  cry  of  surprise  and  of  admiration, 
which  was  more  or  less  ironical. 

"  See,"  said  one,  "  Petrolino's  mantle,  which 
has  been  made  into  two  smaller  ones!" 

"  Shoes,  white  linen!  Have  you  been  robbing 
the  daughter  of  a  prince  ?  " 

"  Oh,  how  very  funny!  "  cried  Kokorik.  "  It  is 
like  an  old  lobster  giving  his  claw  to  a  cray-fish." 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  65 

This  very  graphic  witticism  excited  a  general 
laugh.  Petrolino,  without  being  put  out  of 
countenance,  scanned  from  head  to  foot  this 
ugly,  deformed  little  ape,  ragged  and  dirty,  and 
said  to  him,  with  a  very  serious  air,  — 

"  Kokorik,  my  friend,  when  we  have  the  good 
fortune  to  be  a  handsome  fellow,  with  good  rela- 
tives who  bathe  and  perfume  us  every  day,  and 
dress  us  in  silk  and  velvet,  we  should  not  make 
fun  of  poor  people,  ill-favored  by  nature  and 
fortune;  my  charming  little  Kokorik,  that  is  not 
generous." 

This  time  Petrolino  had  the  laugh  on  his  side: 
all  looks  were  turned  toward  old  Zara,  the  neg- 
lectful grandmother  of  the  dirty  and  wicked 
scapegrace  called  Kokorik.  Petrolino's  pleas- 
antry was  too  apt,  not  to  wound  the  sorceress. 
She  was  furious,  and  poured  forth  a  torrent  of 
abuse,  mingled  with  oaths,  against  all  the  world 
in  general,  and  poor  Mina  in  particular,  who 
was,  however,  the  only  one  who  had  not  laughed. 


66  THE  LITTLE    GYPST. 

At  last,  Rabba  flourished  his  big  staff,  and  said 
with  a  terrible  gesture, — 

"Silence,  all  of  you!  I  will  knock  down  the 
first  who  says  a  word." 

All  the  gypsies  were  dumb  as  by  enchant- 
ment; and  the  troop,  becoming  silent,  resumed 
their  tramp  northward. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  67 


CHAPTER    IX. 


HE  winter  set  in  with  extreme 
severity ;  so  Mina's  new  clothes 
were  verily  a  providential  gift.  It 
was  the  middle  of  December:  the 


snow  fell  in  great  flakes,  and  covered  the  coun- 
try like  an  immense  shroud.  The  troop  were 
obliged  to  go  through  a  forest  of  fir-trees  by 
night.  For  some  time,  a  band  of  famished 
wolves  followed  them,  howling  fearfully.  Rabba, 
who  was  an  able  and  prudent  leader,  had  the 
women  and  children  put  in  the  centre  of  the 
troop,  while  he  and  Makitou  marched  in  the  rear, 
the  post  of  danger.  He  then  broke  out  into 
a  martial  song,  all  the  gypsies  joining  in  the 
chorus.  This  warlike  device  was  a  grand  sue- 


68  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

cess  at  first.  The  wolves  halted,  astonished  and 
undecided,  when,  unfortunately,  the  ass,  who 
was  trembling  in  every  limb,  thinking,  no  doubt, 
to  give  himself  courage,  mingled  his  untimely 
brayings  with  the  chant  of  the  gypsies.  The 
wolves  answered  him  by  significant  howls,  and 
immediately  started  off  again  at  a  furious  gallop. 

"They  have  scented  Rustaud,"  said  Makitou 
to  Rabba :  "  we  are  lost !  " 

"Take  the  burden  off*  the  ass,  and  run  as  if 
the  police  were  after  you." 

The  luggage  was  taken  off  in  a  flash,  and  the 
unhappy  ass  abandoned  to  the  fury  of  the  wolves; 
while  the  frightened  gypsies  ran  through  the 
snow  and  brambles  as  fast  as  their  legs  could 
carry  them.  They  heard  from  afar,  along  with 
the  howls  of  the  wolves,  the  despairing  braying 
of  their  poor  companion,  who  seemed  calling 
upon  them  to  come  to  his  succor.  This  frightful 
struggle  was  soon  followed  by  a  lugubrious 
silence. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  69 

The  gypsies  were  just  thinking  themselves 
safe,  when  a  vague  noise  of  many  feet,  trotting 
behind,  met  their  ears.  It  was  the  wolves,  who, 
having  devoured  their  prey,  had  resumed  the 
chase  with  greater  ardor,  allured  on  by  the  smell 
and  taste  of  blood.  The  danger  was  now  greater 
than  ever.  The  old  sorceress,  who  detested 
Mina,  said,  in  the  gypsy  tongue,  to  Rabba  and 
Makitou,  — 

"We  must  make  another  sacrifice  to  neces- 
sity. La  Biondina  is  of  no  use  to  us:  let  us  give 
her  to  the  wolves,  and,  by  that  time,  we  shall 
have  got  out  of  the  forest." 

Mina,  who  now  understood  a  little  of  the  lan- 
guage, heard  this  horrible  proposition.  Full  of 
fright,  she  pressed  nearer  to  her  friend  Petrolino, 
who  took  her  up  in  his  arms,  and,  turning  toward 
Zara,  said  to  her,  in  a  fearful  voice,  — 

"  I  will  defend  La  Biondina  against  both 
wolves  and  witches." 

Fortunately  they  very  soon  reached  the  end 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 


of  the  forest;  and,  the  day  beginning  to  dawn, 
the  wolves,  who,  like  the  wicked,  fear  the  light, 
suddenly  halted,  gave  a  few  howls,  and,  turning 
about,  disappeared  in  the  depths  of  the  forest. 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  71 


CHAPTER  X. 


VERY  thing  passes  in  life,  evil  days 
as  well  as  good  days.  After  the 
winter  comes  the  spring.  On  one 
of  those  warm  mornings  in  the 
month  of  March,  when  the  sun  seems  bent  upon 
proving  to  the  world  that  he  is  no  longer  frozen, 
the  gypsies  rested  on  the  outskirts  of  a  little 
wood.  Petrolino  gave  a  singing  and  dancing 
lesson  to  Mina,  who  went  through  with  her  vari- 
ous exercises  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  all  the 
spectators,  and  particularly  Rabba. 

Not  far  off,  at  the  foot  of  a  little  hill,  a  flock 
of  sheep  were  dozing  in  the  sun.  Both  shepherd 
and  dog  were  doing  the  same. 


72  THE  LITTLE    GTPSY. 

"  Kokorik,"  said  Zara  to  her  grandson,  "  if 
thou  art  not  a  blockhead,  we  shall  eat  roast  lamb 
for  our  supper." 

"Kokorik  will  show  that  he  is  not  a  block- 
head, grandmother." 

So  saying,  Kokorik,  with  stealthy  step,  crept 
along  the  edge  of  the  wood.  He  had  already 
got  his  eye  on  a  pretty  little  lamb,  very  plump 
and  fat,  sleeping  near  its  mother,  secure  in  the 
presence  of  the  dog  and  the  shepherd.  But, 
when  innocence  sleeps,  Providence  watches. 
Mina  had  divined  the  plot  between  the  sorceress 
and  her  grandson;  she  pitied  the  poor  sheep, 
and  wanted  to  save  them  from  the  wicked 
clutches  of  Kokorik;  so,  just  as  Kokorik,  who 
had  wriggled  through  the  grass  like  a  snake,  was 
in  the  act  of  springing  on  his  prey,  she  began  to 
sing,  in  her  most  vibrating  voice,  — 

"  Hop  13t,  sautez,  ma  chevrette." 
The    effect    was    magical.       Dog,    shepherd, 


THE  LITTLE    GTPSY.  73 

sheep,  awoke  with  a  jump.  Kokorik  was 
already  in  full  flight,  bearing  on  his  shoulders 
a  lamb  whose  piteous  bleatings  were  soon 
mingled  with  those  of  its  mother  and  the  whole 
flock.  The  dog  sprang  after  the  thief,  and 
seized  him  behind  by  the  flesh  as  well  as  the 
trousers. 

Like  the  young  Spartan,  Kokorik  held  on  to 
his  prey  in  spite  of  the  pain,  when  a  shower  of 
blows  from  a  stick,  raining  down  on  his  head 
and  back,  made  him  relinquish  his  prize  and 
take  again  to  his  heels,  uttering  frightful  howls. 

Zara  was  furious,  and  attacked  Mina,  before 
even  thinking  of  going  to  the  assistance  of  her 
grandson ;  for,  with  this  wicked  woman,  hate 
was  far  stronger  than  love. 

"  Biondina,  little  wretch,  I'll  strangle  thee  !  " 
cried  the  fury. 

But  Petrolino,  who,  since  the  adventure  in  the 
forest,  never  lost  sight  of  Zara's  movements, 
seized  her  stout  arm  on  its  passage,  and  held 


74  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

her  tight  against  a  tree,  demanding  justice. 
Rabba,  who  understood  perfectly  how  useful 
La  Biondina  would  be  to  them  in  the  great 
cities  through  which  they  were  to  pass,  sen- 
tenced the  witch  to  receive  fifty  blows  of  the 
stick.  They  tied  her  to  a  tree,  and  were  about 
to  administer  the  punishment  which  she  had 
justly  merited,  when  Mina,  moved  with  com- 
passion, threw  herself  on  her  knees  at  the  feet  of 
the  astounded  Rabba,  and  with  tears  implored 
pardon  for  Zara. 

"  So  be  it.  I  grant  it  thee  in  consideration 
of  the  pleasure  thou  hast  lately  given  me.  And 
thou,  old  hag,"  added  he,  addressing  Zara,  "  try 
to  be  a  little  more  moderate  in  future,  and  do 
not  forget,  that,  if  thy  bones  are  still  in  their 
place,  it  is  to  La  Biondina  thou  owest  it." 

The  gypsies  arrived  at  Darmstadt  in  the  early 
part  of  April,  without  any  other  incident  worthy 
of  note.  Their  entrance  into  the  city  created 
quite  a  commotion ;  all  the  children  of  the  sub- 


1  Mma  began  a  Venetian  barcarolle,  which  was  a  complete  success."  —  I'AGK  75. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  75 

urbs,  attracted  by  the  sight,  followed  them  with 
acclamations  of  joy  to  the  market-place,  which 
was  the  theatre  chosen  for  the  first  appearance 
of  La  Biondina.  Old  Rabba,  and  those  of  the 
gypsies  who  took  no  part  in  the  representation, 
sat  down  around  their  luggage.  Makitou  and 
Kokorik  were  the  ushers,  and  had  a  great  deal 
of  trouble  in  disposing  the  spectators  so  as  to 
form  a  circle,  in  the  centre  of  which  the  artists 
were  to  perform  in  full  -view. 

When  Petrolino  struck  a  prelude  on  his  man- 
dolin, all  the  windows  on  the  square  were 
thrown  up  as  by  enchantment.  The  entertain- 
ment began  with  a  wild  gypsy  chorus.  Then 
Petrolino  bent  toward  his  young  pupil,  and  whis- 
pered two  words  in  her  ear.  As  soon  as  he 
had  struck  a  note  on  his  mandolin  to  give  her 
the  key,  Mina  began  a  Venetian  barcarolle, 
which  was  a  complete  success.  Bravos  re- 
sounded through  the  place,  accompanied  by  a 
shower  of  big  pennies  and  silver  pieces,  which 


76  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

Kokorik,  catching  with  a  dexterity  that  would 
have  done  honor  to  an  ape,  laid  respectfully  at 
the  feet  of  the  venerable  Rabba,  without  pilfering 
even  one  of  them. 

An  attentive  observer,  looking  around  the 
place  at  this  moment,  would  have  noticed,  at  one 
of  the  windows  of  an  old  house,  two  children 
eight  and  ten  years  old,  who  followed  the  per- 
formances with  a  lively  and  childish  interest. 
Behind  them,  sharing  his  children's  pleasure, 
stood  a  man  about  forty.  He  had  a  bright  eye, 
and  a  mild  and  intelligent  expression.  It  was 
their  father,  Master  Cornelius,  a  composer  of 
music,  who  needed  only  opportunity  to  become 
distinguished.  While  waiting  for  fame  and  for- 
tune, this  poor  man  of  genius  was  forced  to  give 
lessons,  at  a  very  modest  price,  to  support  his 
family.  The  barcarolle  which  Mina  had  just 
sung  delighted  him. 

"What  a  delicious  voice!"  he  said  to  his  wife, 
who  was  knitting  at  another  window,  while 


THE  LITTLE    GTPSY.  ^ 

following  the  performances  with  her  eyes. 
"  But  that  child  is  not  of  the  gypsy  type." 

"  It  is  no  doubt  a  stolen  child." 

"  Poor  parents !  how  they  must  have  suffered 
at  losing  so  lovely  a  creature!  But  I  am  forget- 
ting my  lesson.  Wilhelmina,  watch  well  over 
the  children." 

Cornelius  kissed  Bertha  and  Frederic,  gave 
a  kind  shake  of  the  hand  to  his  wife,  took  his 
hat  and  cane,  and  left  by  the  garden-door  to 
avoid  the  crowd  in  the  place,  which  was  becom- 
ing more  and  more  dense. 

Petrolino,  proud  of  Mina's  success,  now  began 
to  play  a  dancing-tune,  whilst  regarding  the  pub- 
lic with  an  air  which  seemed  to  say,  "  You  are 
charmed,  my  dear  friends:  you  shall  be  amazed 
presently, — subjugated,  transported,  or  Petrolino 
is  nothing  but  a  rascal." 

Petrolino  was  not  mistaken.  The  tarantella 
was  La  Biondina's  triumph.  First,  she  balanced 
herself  on  her  little  feet,  in  careless  and  graceful 


78  THE  LITTLE    GTPSY. 

attitudes;  then,  the  movement  becoming  more 
lively,  she  turned  and  turned,  as  though  she  were 
growing  dizzy,  and  this  with  such  a  feeling  for 
rhythm,  and  a  pantomime  so  expressive,  that  all 
the  spectators  stood  motionless,  with  gaping 
mouths  and  staring  eyes. 

Among  the  warmest  admirers  of  the  little 
damsel  was  a  portly  personage,  whom  everybody 
treated  with  deference.  He  wore  a  powdered 
wig,  a  cocked  hat,  and  a  coat  embroidered  with 
wide  gold  lace.  He  leant  on  a  big  cane  with  an 
ivory  knob,  and  from  time  to  time  drew  from 
the  pocket  of  his  flowered  silk  waistcoat  a  beau- 
tiful gold  snuff-box,  from  which  he  took  snuff 
with  dignity. 

Makitou  had  noticed  this  magnificent  person- 
age, and  especially  his  gold  snuff-box.  Gold 
on  Makitou  had  the  magnetic  influence  of  the 
loadstone  on  iron.  It  attracted  him  fatally. 
Under  pretext  of  arranging  the  crowd,  he  con- 
trived to  post  himself  near  the  grand  gentleman; 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  79 

and  taking  advantage  of  a  moment  when  the  lat- 
ter, leaning  on  his  cane,  was  most  absorbed  by 
the  giddy  dance  of  La  Biondina,  he  insinuated  his 
long,  tapering  fingers  into  the  half-open  pocket 
of  his  neighbor,  and  slowly  drew  out  the  snuff- 
box. At  the  same  instant,  he  felt  himself  seized 
by  an  iron  grip,  and  a  rough  voice  cried  out  to 
him, — 

w  Ha,  thief  I    I  have  got  thee." 

The  unlucky  man  was  not  aware  he  had  been 
meddling  with  a  burgomaster  in  -propria  persona, 
and  that  that  respectable  magistrate  was  accom- 
panied by  a  policeman,  whose  practised  eye  had 
at  once  suspected  the  gypsy's  designs,  and  was 
watching  to  catch  him  in  the  act. 

"Well,  Pinceman,  what's  the  matter?"  said 
the  burgomaster,  in  the  querulous  tone  of  an 
honest  man  disturbed  in  his  pleasures. 

"  It  is  a  miserable  man,  my  lord,  who  has  just 
stolen  your  snuff-box." 

The    burgomaster    fumbled    quickly    in    the 


8o  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

pocket  of  his  waistcoat,  and,  naturally,  did  not 
find  his  box  there. 

"  All  these  gypsies  are  thieves  !  Take  that  fel- 
low off  to  prison  I  " 

The  performances  were  interrupted.  The 
crowd  was  thrown  into  excitement;  and  the  gyp- 
sies, seeing  their  comrade  led  off,  vied  with  each 
other  in  crying  out,  "  Mercy,  my  lord,  mercy  ! " 

Everybody  inquired  what  the  matter  was. 

"  It  is  a  gypsy  who  has  stolen  the  burgomas- 
ter's snuff-box." 

"  It  is  something  like  it,  for  they  are  taking  him 
off  to  prison." 

These  words,  "thief,"  "prison,"  sounded  again 
and  again  in  the  ears  of  the  little  Mina.  She 
was  in  a  panic  of  terror.  Instinctively  throwing 
on  her  cloak,  she  glided  through  the  crowd,  un- 
noticed in  the  uproar;  and,  quitting  the  market- 
place, she  flew  through  the  streets  and  suburbs. 
Gaining  the  public  road  after  an  hour  of  this 
wild  running,  she  fell  fainting  at  the  foot  of  a  tree. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  81 


CHAPTER  XL 


|FTER  his  lessons  were  over,  Corne- 
lius took  a  walk  out  of  the  city, 
thinking,  on  the  way,  of  the  oratorio 
which  he  was  composing  for  Holy 
Thursday.  Night  coming  on  made  the  musician 
quickly  remember  that  he  was  the  father  of  a 
family.  So  he  turned  homeward  ;  and,  as  he 
was  hurrying  along  that  he  might  not  be  late  for 
supper,  he  stumbled  suddenly  over  an  obstacle. 
He  stopped  and  looked.  It  was  a  child.  Is  it 
dead  or  alive?  Moved  with  compassion,  he 
raised  the  little  creature.  "  I  am  not  mistaken  : 
it  is  the  little  gypsy.  She  is  not  asleep  :  she 
has  fainted,  —  from  fatigue  and  hunger,  no 
doubt." 


D* 


82  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

A  stream  was  running  near  by.  Cornelius 
dipped  his  handkerchief  in  it,  and  bathed  the 
forehead  and  cheeks  of  the  child,  who  very  soon 
came  to  herself,  and  looked  about  her  with  fear 
and  amazement. 

"  Do  not  be  afraid,  little  one.     I  am  a  friend." 

In  so  speaking,  he  took  up  the  child  in  his 
arms,  covered  her  with  his  cloak,  and  went  on 
toward  the  city.  Mina,  perfectly  re-assured,  put 
her  little  arms  around  the  neck  of  her  new  friend, 
and  finished  by  dropping  off  to  sleep.  Cornelius 
reached  home  with  his  soft  burden. 

"  What  are  you  bringing  us,  papa  ?  " 

"  Look,"  he  replied,  opening  his  cloak.  "  How 
pretty  she  is!  Why,  it  is  the  little  gypsy  we 
saw  to-day." 

Cornelius  then  told  how  he  had  found  her  on 
the  public  road,  where  she  had  fainted,  under  a 
tree,  how  he  had  brought  her  back  to  conscious- 
ness, &c. 

The  children  cried  in  listening  to  the  story. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  83 

Wilhelmina  took  Mina  on  her  lap,  pulled  off  her 
shoes,  and  sent  Bertha  into  the  kitchen  to  fetch 
a  cup  of  warm  milk,  which  Mina  drank  at  one 
draught,  without  opening  her  eyes.  They  laid 
her,  still  asleep,  on  the  sofa;  and  all  the  little 
family  went  joyfully  in  to  supper. 

When  Bertha  and  Frederic  had  gone  to  bed, 
Cornelius  and  his  wife  returned  to  the  drawing- 
room.  Mina  was  still  asleep.  Wilhelmina  sat 
down  to  work  by  the  light  of  a  lamp ;  Cornelius 
placed  himself  at  his  harpsichord,  to  finish  the 
last  part  of  his  oratorio,  in  which  saints  and 
patriarchs  sang,  with  the  angels,  the  risen  Christ. 

Cornelius  had  already  expended  considerable 
labor  on  this  important  part,  without  ever  suc- 
ceeding in  satisfying  himself.  But,  his  sensibility 
being  excited  by  the  events  of  the  day,  he 
composed  this  evening  with  peculiar  felicity. 
Mina  was  awakened  by  the  sublime  harmony; 
on  her  knees,  with  clasped  hands,  and  eyes  glis- 
tening with  tears,  she  listened  as  though  under 


84  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

the  spell  of  a  vision.  When  Cornelius  had  fin- 
ished, Wilhelmina  made  him  a  sign  to  look  at 
Mina.  He  was  astonished  at  the  effect  pro- 
duced by  music  on  one  so  young;  and,  with  the 
sudden  inspiration  of  genius,  he  said, — 

"Wife,   that  child  will    one    day  be   a   great 
artist." 


THE  LITTLE    GYPST.  85 


CHAPTER  XII. 


HE  first  thought  of  Frederic  and 
Bertha,  on  waking  the  next  morn- 
ing, was  of  the  little  gypsy.  They 
dressed  themselves  quickly,  and 
entered  their  mother's  chamber.  She  was  busy 
with  her  maid  looking  over  Bertha's  clothes,  to 
find  something  that  would  do  for  little  Mina 
to  wear.  After  having  said  "  Good-morning  "  to 
their  mother,  the  two  children  approached  the 
bed  where  Mina  was  lying. 

"  Be   careful   not  to  wake  her,"  said  Wilhel- 
mina,  in  a  low  voice. 

"Oh!  we  will  not  make  any  noise." 
They  went  up  on  tiptoe,  and  drew  the  curtains. 
Mina,  who  was  not  asleep,  gazed  at  them  at  first 


86  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

a  little  frightened,  but  their  kind,  innocent  little 
faces  soon  re-assured  her,  and  she  ended  by 
giving  them  a  sweet  smile. 

"  Mamma,  she  is  not  asleep,"  cried  both  the 
children  at  once. 

rt  You  have  waked  her." 

"No,  mamma." 

Wilhelmina  approached  the  bed,  and  said  to 
Mina, — 

"  Have  you  slept  well,  little  one  ?  " 

:?  Yes,  madam,"  she  replied,  timidly. 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  "  said  Bertha. 

"Mina." 

w  Mina  !  what  a  pretty  name  !  I  am  called 
Bertha  ;  and  my  brother,  Frederic." 

"You  worry  her,"  said  Wilhelmina,  smiling. 
"  Go,  now,  and  say  your  prayers,  and  study  your 
lessons  before  breakfast. 

The  children  retired  directly;  for  they  were 
very  obedient,  and  tried  always  to  please  their 
mother. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  87 

A  bath  had  been  prepared  for  Mina,  who  was 
greatly  in  need  of  it ;  for  gypsies  are  not  famous 
for  cleanliness.  Wilhelmina  noticed  with  sur- 
prise the  black  and  blue  marks  on  the  delicate 
white  skin  of  the  little  girl. 

"  Have  you  had  a  fall,  my  child  ?  " 

??  No :  it  was  old  Zara,  who  was  always  beat- 
ing me." 

"  Poor  little  one  ! "  sighed  the  good  Wilhel- 
mina. 

When  Mina  had  taken  her  bath,  they  put  clean 
under-clothing  on  her,  a  pretty  frock,  shoes  and 
stockings,  and  combed  out  her  beautiful  light 
hair.  Her  toilet  was  scarcely  completed,  when 
breakfast  was  announced,  at  which  Mina  greatly 
rejoiced;  for  she  was  very  hungry,  though  she 
was  too  timid  to  say  so. 

Her  entrance  into  the  dining-room  was  hailed 
with  shouts  of  joy  and  admiration.  A  seat  was 
given  her  at  the  table  between  Cornelius  and 
Wilhelmina,  who  were  occupied  only  in  serving 


88  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

her.  Frederic  and  Bertha,  too,  forgot  to  eat  in 
looking  at  the  little  gypsy. 

When  breakfast  was  over,  Cornelius  took 
Mina  on  his  knee. 

"  What  is  your  name,  little  girl  ?  "  he  said. 

"The  gypsies  called  me  La  Biondina;  but 
Mina  is  my  real  name." 

"  So,  then,  you  were  not  born  among  the  gyp- 
sies?" 

"  Oh  no,  sir  !  "  Saying  this,  her  voice  faltered, 
and  big  tears  started  to  her  eyes. 

"They  carried  me  off  by  force,  and  dragged 
me  along  with  them.  Oh,  only  send  me  back 
to  my  father  and  mother,  and  God  will  bless 
you!" 

And  she  clasped  her  little  hands,  and  looked 
so  beseechingly  at  Cornelius,  that  the  whole 
family  were  moved  to  tears. 

wBe  comforted,  my  dear  Mina:  we  will  send 
you  back  to  your  parents." 

w  Let  us  start  immediately." 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  89 

"  I  should  like  to  do  so,  but  where  do  they 
live?" 

"  In  the  village." 

"  But  what  village  ?  what  is  it  called  ?  " 

"Why,  the  village!  There  are  houses  there, 
a  pretty  little  church,  fine  trees ;  and  opposite  my 
father's  house  is  Mother  Fritz's  garden." 

This  information  did  not  seem  very  satisfactory 
to  Cornelius,  who  tried  to  get  at  something  a 
little  more  definite. 

"Did  you  do  much  walking  before  corning 
here?" 

"  Oh  yes  !  " 

"  How  many  days  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"But  these  gypsies  have  not  left  the  city:  per- 
haps I  can  find  out  through  them." 

"  Oh,  do  not  send  me  back  with  them !  "  cried 
she,  trembling;  "they  are  so  wicked,  —  the  old 
woman  above  all.  She  was  always  beating 
me." 


90  THE  LITTLE    GTPSY. 

w  Do  not  be  afraid,"  said  Cornelius  :  w  we  will 
keep  you  here  until  we  have  found  your  parents. 
You  would  like  to  stay  with  us,  little  Mina  ?  " 

w  Oh  yes  ! "  replied  Mina,  with  a  charming 
simplicity:  w  with  them  I  was  in  misery;  with  you 
I  am  happy." 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  91 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


T  occurred  to  Cornelius,  who  had 
heard  from  his  wife  of  the  arrest  of 
the  gypsy  who  had  stolen  the  burgo- 
master's snuff-box,  that  he  might,  by 
means  of  a  bribe,  learn  from  the  prisoner  the 
name  of  the  village  whence  Mina  had  been 
stolen.  He  put  on  his  best  coat,  and  proceeded 
to  the  town-hall  to  get  a  permit  from  the  burgo- 
master to  visit  the  jail.  He  found  that  respectable 
magistrate  in  a  towering  rage  with  the  jailer,  for 
which,  however,  he  had  good  cause,  as  the  man 
had  just  told  him  that  his  prisoner  had  escaped 
during  the  night,  and  the  whole  band  of  gypsies 
had  disappeared  like  magic. 

"Well,  it  is  no  use  of  thinking  about  it  any 


92  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

more,"  said  Cornelius  to  himself,  as  he  retraced 
his  steps.  *  We  have  lost  the  only  chance  of 
finding  out  Mina's  parents,  and  we  shall  be 
obliged  to  keep  the  poor  child  with  us.  What 
an  unfortunate  circumstance  ! " 

If  the  good  Cornelius  had  probed  his  con- 
science, he  might  perhaps  have  been  surprised 
to  find  that  this  "unfortunate  circumstance" 
filled  him  with  secret  satisfaction,  because  he 
had  already  become  singularly  attached  to  the 
little  gypsy. 

"  She  wept  in  listening  to  my  oratorio  ! "  he 
repeated  over  and  over  again  to  himself. 

He  troubled  himself  little  about  the  addi- 
tional expense,  and  that  he  had  already  hard 
work  to  make  both  ends  meet. 

w  I  will  work  a  little  harder,  and  then  my  ora- 
torio will  ,be  a  success,  —  something  tells  me  so." 

On  reaching  home,  he  told  his  wife  of  the 
escape  of  the  prisoner,  and  the  disappearance  of 
the  gypsies. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  93 

"  Now,  what  are  we  going  to  do  with  the  poor 
child  ? "  added  he,  trying  to  read  the  mind  of 
Wilhelmina. 

At  this  moment,  Mina  came  in  from  the  gar- 
den with  Bertha  and  Frederic  j  they  seemed  the 
best  friends  in  the  world. 

"  My  children,"  said  Wilhelmina,  in  looking  at 
her  husband,  "you  will  now  have  a  new  little 
sister." 

Bertha  and  Frederic  jumped  with  joy  at  these 
words,  and  Cornelius  affectionately  pressed  his 
wife's  hand  ;  she  had  read  his  heart. 

"  Now,  my  little  Mina,"  said  Cornelius,  "  you 
have  nothing  more  to  fear  from  those  miserable 
gypsies  ;  it  will  be  a  long  while  before  they  will 
dare  to  pass  through  our  good  city  of  Darmstadt 
again." 

"  Oh  dear  !  what  have  I  done  ? "  exclaimed 
Mina  all  at  once.  "  Poor  Petrolino  !  he  will  be 
beaten  for  me.  I  was  so  happy  here,  I  forgot 
every  thing.  Petrolino  was  always  so  kind  ;  he 


94  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

will  think  I  am  a  bad  child.  I  want  to  go  back 
to  him,  so  that  they  will  not  kill  him.  Oh  dear  ! 
oh  dear ! " 

Mina  was  so  excited,  that  it  was  a  long  time 
before  Cornelius  and  his  wife  could  get  any 
reasonable  explanation  of  her  strange  conduct. 
When  the  poor  child  became  calmer,  she  told 
them  of  Petrolino's  devotion  ;  how,  many  times, 
he  had  rescued  her  from  the  clutches  of  the 
wicked  sorceress  ;  and  of  the  decree  of  the  gypsy 
chief,  which  rendered  Petrolino  responsible  for 
her  behavior,  and  of  her  solemn  promise  never 
to  run  away,  and  how  she  had  been  betrayed 
into  breaking  that  promise. 

While  admiring  the  acuteness  of  Mina's  feel- 
ings, Cornelius  tried  to  make  her  understand  that 
her  scruples  were  exaggerated,  and  that  Petro- 
lino was  relieved  of  all  responsibility  by  late 
events  ;  and  that,  besides,  the  gypsies  were  too 
far  off  to  be  overtaken. 

All  these  reasons  did  not  satisfy  fully  the  tender 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  95 

conscience  of  Mina,  who,  for  a  long  time,  was 
troubled  lest  the  terrible  sentence  of  Rabba 
would  be  executed  on  poor  Petrolino.  But  the 
care  and  tenderness  of  Cornelius  and  his  good 
wife,  the  pleasant  friendship  of  Frederic  and 
Bertha,  very  soon  softened  her  childish  remorse; 
and  she  gave  herself  up  to  the  charm  of  a  pure 
and  tranquil  life,  so  well  suited  to  her  sweet  and 
affectionate  nature. 

In  the  mean  time,  by  the  blessing  of  God  on 
their  kind  action,  every  thing  prospered  with  the 
good  people.  The  oratorio  of  Cornelius  was 
performed  before  all  the  court  on  Holy  Thurs- 
day, and  so  successfully,  that  the  Landgrave 
appointed  him  precentor  of  the  court  chapel, 
with  a  salary  of  six  hundred  florins.  Good  for- 
tune is  like  misfortune  :  she  never  comes  alone. 
She  is  a  magnificent  personage,  who  puts  herself 
to  very  little  trouble,  but  who  is  always  accompa- 
nied by  a  numerous  train.  Before  the  success 
of  his  oratorio,  Cornelius  ran  after  his  scholars  ; 


96  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

but,  when  that  was  insured,  scholars  ran  after 
him.  Still,  prosperity,  as  it  often  does,  did  not 
change  him  :  he  was  ever  the  same,  —  a  simple- 
hearted,  kind  man.  He  exerted  himself  even 
more  than  ever.  "  Good  fortune  makes  it  incum- 
bent upon  me,"  he  would  say  to  his  wife,  who 
was  sometimes  forced  to  moderate  his  zeal. 
Looking  upon  himself  as  Mina's  adopted  father, 
he  also  busied  himself  with  her  education,  which 
had  been  much  neglected  among  the  gypsies. 
To  Bertha  was  committed  the  care  of  teaching 
her  to  read,  sew,  and  embroider.  Frederic 
taught  her  to  write  and  draw ;  for  Cornelius 
knew  by  experience,  that  the  best  way  to  learn 
any  thing  one's  self  is  to  teach  others.  Her 
musical  education  he  reserved  for  himself  as  a 
recreation  from  his  labors. 

Mina  made  such  rapid  progress,  that  she  did 
not  seem  learning,  but  recollecting.  In  less  than 
a  year,  she  knew  as  much  as  her  little  teachers  ; 
and  music  she  could  read  at  sight.  For  Corne- 


THE  LITTLE    GYPST. 


97 


lius'  birthday,  she  studied  in  secret  a  fugue  of 
his  composition,  which  she  played  with  so  much 
skill,  that  she  drew  tears  from  the  eyes  of  her 
friend  and  master. 


98 


THE  LITTLE   GYPSY. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


URING  the  next  two  years,  nothing 
extraordinary  •  happened  j  but  the 
winter  of  the  third  year  was  a  mem- 
orable one  in  the  annals  of  the  fam- 
ily. The  Landgrave  had  ordered  his  precentor 
to  compose,  for  the  Christmas  festival,  an  ora- 
torio, to  be  performed  at  the  court  theatre. 
Cornelius  had  been  two  months  occupied  with 
the  rehearsals.  Christmas  was  approaching,  and 
the  master  was  not  entirely  satisfied  with  the  way 
his  work  was  rendered.  For  the  scene  in  which 
the  angels  announce  to  the  shepherds  the  birth 
of  a  Saviour,  Cornelius  had  written  a  solo  which 
he  regarded  justly  as  a  gem.  To  sing  this  solo 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  99 

properly,  required  a  real  angel  ;  and  angels  are 
rare  in  this  world,  and,  above  all,  at  the  theatre. 
The  young  girl  upon  whom  the  role  devolved 
was  not  suited  to  it,  either  in  person  or  in  voice. 
The  latter  was  entirely  wanting  in  charm,  and 
all  Cornelius'  instructions  were  lost  upon  one  so 
poorly  endowed  by  nature.  At  the  last  general 
rehearsal,  he  came  away  in  despair.  Enter- 
ing his  wife's  chamber,  he  threw  himself  into 
an  easy-chair  like  a  man  who  had  just  heard  his 
death-sentence.  While  the  kind  Wilhelmina 
was  trying  to  encourage  him,  a  voice,  which 
seemed  to  issue  from  the  adjoining  room,  began 
to  sing  the  unfortunate  solo,  and  in  so  pure  and 
sympathetic  a  manner,  that  Cornelius  half  rose 
from  his  arm-chair,  and  listened  without  drawing 
a  breath,  like  one  under  the  spell  of  a  vision. 
When  the  voice  ceased,  he  threw  open  the  door, 
and  saw  Mina  standing  before  the  harpsichord. 
He  made  one  bound  toward  the  little  musician, 
and  said  to  her,  all  in  a  tremor,  — 


loo  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

"  Mina,  this  solo  you  have  just  sung,  could  you 
have  the  courage  to  sing  it  to-morrow  before  the 
Landgrave  and  the  whole  court  ?" 

rc  Yes,  dear  friend,  if  it  would  give  you  pleas- 
ure," replied  Mina,  very  quietly. 

"  Come,  sing  it  again,"  rejoined  Cornelius, 
placing  himself  at  the  harpsichord. 

He  made  her  repeat  the  solo  twice,  in  giving 
her  some  instructions  ;  then  he  rapturously  em- 
braced the  child,  and  said  to  his  wife,  "I  am 
saved  ! " 

He  took  his  hat  and  cane,  and  hastened  to  the 
grand  master  of  the  palace,  to  tell  him  what  had 
occurred.  The  grand  master  wished  to  judge 
for  himself  of  this  little  prodigy.  He  was  aston- 
ished, and  at  once  obtained  from  the  Land- 
grave permission  for  Mina  to  appear  at  the 
court  theatre,  in  the  oratorio  of  Master  Cor- 
nelius. 

The  representation  was  to  take  place  the  next 
day.  There  was  no  time  to  lose  in  preparing  a 


THE  LITTLE    GTPSY.  101 

proper  costume.  Fortunately,  angels  are  not  so 
exacting  with  regard  to  their  toilet  as  the  daugh- 
ters of  the  earth.  A  white  robe  and  wings  suffice 
for  them.  Wilhelmina  and  Bertha  spent  part  of 
the  night  in  making  the  long  white  robe;  the 
theatre  furnished  the  wings,  and  a  circlet  of  gold 
surmounted  by  a  star.  When  Mina  was  dressed  in 
her  new  costume,  she  was  lovely  ;  and  Cornelius 
declared  that  if  she  presented  herself  thus  at  the 
gates  of  Paradise,  Saint  Peter  himself  would  take 
her  for  an  angel  returning  from  a  journey. 

That  evening,  to  the  great  amazement  of  the 
neighborhood,  one  of  the  court  carriages  stopped 
before  the  door  of  Cornelius,  and  carried  to  the 
theatre  the  precentor  and  all  his  family.  On 
the  way,  Cornelius  gave  Mina  some  last  instruc- 
tions, and  anxiously  inquired  if  she  were  afraid. 

"Afraid!    and  why  ?" 

Cornelius  was  astonished  and  delighted  with 
this  reply  ;  for  he,  poor  man,  felt  strange,  cold 
chills  come  over  him  whenever  he  thought  of 


102  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

the  double  ordeal  that  he  had  to  submit  to  on 
this  memorable  evening. 

The  solemn  moment  came  at  last.  The  hall 
was  brilliant  with  lights  and  splendid  toilettes. 
All  the  court  were  in  full  dress.  As  soon  as  the 
Landgrave  and  his  family  were  installed  in  their 
box,  Master  Cornelius,  after  throwing  a  rapid 
glance  over  his  orchestra,  raised  his  baton,  and 
the  orchestra  began  the  overture.  It  was  given  in 
good  style,  and  well  received. 

The  curtain  then  rose  on  a  scene  representing 
the  country  of  Judea  at  night.  Shepherds  were 
sleeping  on  the  ground  near  their  flocks.  The 
calm  of  Oriental  night  was  well  marked  by 
the  introductory  chords.  Suddenly  the  whole 
scene  was  illuminated,  and  a  celestial  choir  was 
heard.  The  shepherds  awake,  and  express  their 
terror,  when  a  cloud  opened,  and  revealed  a 
beautiful  angel  clothed  in  a  long  white  tunic,  and 
holding  in  her  hand  an  olive-branch.  It  was 
Mina.  The  whole  audience  applauded  this 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  103 

charming  apparition.  Little  by  little  silence  was 
restored,  and  became  so  complete,  that  one  could 
have  heard  the  beating  of  the  worthy  Cornelius' 
heart.  Wilhelmina,  Bertha,  and  Frederic  seemed 
turned  to  stone  in  their  box.  Mina  alone  was  calm. 
She  sang  her  famous  solo  in  a  manner  so  simple 
and  grand,  her  voice  was  so  pure  and  sym- 
pathetic, that  the  audience  was  delighted,  en- 
thusiastic. The  Landgrave  himself  gave  the 
signal  for  applause  ;  .and  clapping  of  hands  and 
frantic  hurrahs  resounded  through  the  hall.  The 
orchestra  rose,  the  shepherds,  the  angels  joined 
in  the  ovation, — even  the  demons,  unmindful  of 
their  role,  yelled  out  their  bravos  in  honor  of  the 
angel  who  had  just  announced  to  them  that  their 
reign  was  over.  The  solo  was  encored,  and  the 
second  rendering  was  as  successful  as  the  first. 
Quiet  was  finally  restored,  and  the  oratorio  ended 
with  a  grand  chorus,  in  which  heaven,  earth,  and 
hell  all  united  to  insure  the  triumph  of  Cornelius. 
The  performance  over,  the  chamberlain  on 


104  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

duty  came  forward  to  fetch  Cornelius  and  Mina 
to  the  Landgrave.  The  latter  complimented  the 
precentor  on  his  oratorio,  and  especially  on  his  little 
protege,  whom  he  took  on  his  knee  and  caressed. 

"  It  is  usual  for  mortals,"  he  said  to  her,  "  to 
implore  the  protection  of  angels  ;  but  if  a  poor 
sovereign  like  me  can  be  so  favored  of  heaven 
as  to  render  any  service  to  one  of  its  most  beau- 
tiful angels,  deign  to  command  me,  and  I  shall 
be  only  too  happy  to  obey." 

w  O  my  lord,"  replied  Mina  in  a  supplicating 
voice,  "  if  you  could  only  restore  me  to  my 
father  and  mother  !  " 

In  the  midst  of  this  brilliant  court,  where  all 
were  doing  her  honor,  little  Mina  thought  only 
of  the  poor  cabin  where  Wolf  and  Marguerite 
were  mourning  for  their  lost  child. 

The  Landgrave  requested  Mina  to  tell  him 
her  story,  which  she  did  with  so  touching  a 
simplicity,  that  everybody  was  charmed  and 
moved  to  tears. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  105 

"  My  little  angel,"  said  the  Landgrave,  "  I  will 
restore  you  to  your  father  and  mother,  or  lose 
my  crown.  Here,"  he  added,  drawing  from  his 
finger  a  diamond  ring,  "  keep  this  as  a  keepsake 
from  me." 

All  the  lords  and  ladies  of  the  court  wanted  to 
kiss  little  Mina,  and  each  made  her  a  present. 
A  casket  was  required  to  hold  this  harvest  of 
jewels.  In  those  days,  the  great  lords  were 
very  generous. 

In  the  mean  while,  the  family  and  friends  of 
Cornelius  waited  impatiently  for  their  return, 
and  when  they  appeared,  received  them  with 
every  demonstration  of  joy.  Mina,  transported, 
threw  her  arms  around  Wilhelmina,  and  her 
kind  companions,  Bertha  and  Frederic.  She 
showed  them  her  presents  from  the  fine  ladies 
of  the  court,  and  begged  them  to  choose  from 
them  any  thing  they  liked.  Cornelius  objected. 

"  Do  not  these  jewels  belong  to  me  ?  " 

K  Certainly,  my  child." 


106  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

"Very  well,  then,  I  have  the  right  to  do  what 
I  please  with  them." 

"  That  is  perfectly  just "  said  an  old  professor 
of  Roman  law,  taking  a  pinch  of  snuff :  w  owner- 
ship is  the  right  of  using  and  abusing,  utendi  et 
abutendi" 

Mina  put  around  Bertha's  neck  a  lovely  pearl 
necklace;  she  gave  a  pretty  watch  to  Frederic, 
and  clasped  on  the  arm  of  Wilhelmina  the  richest 
bracelet  in  her  casket.  This  little  impromptu 
festival  was  delightful  from  its  gayety  and  good- 
humor.  It  did  not  break  up  until  midnight; 
and,  when  the  children  were  in  bed,  Cornelius 
said  to  his  wife, — 

w  Come,  my  wife,  let  us  thank  God.  This  has 
been  a  happy  day." 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  107 


CHAPTER  XV. 


HE  Landgrave  did  not  forget  his 
promise,  as  is  too  often  the  case 
j  with  sovereigns.  The  next  morn- 
ing, he  directed  his  prime  minister 
to  publish  in  the  government  journal,  and  in  all 
the  cities,  towns,  and  villages  of  the  duchy,  a 
reward  of  fifty  florins  to  any  one  who  could  find 
the  parents  of  a  little  girl  called  Mina,  stolen 
from  her  home  three  years  before  by  gypsies. 
Incited  by  the  reward,  a  number  of  false  Wolfs 
and  Marguerites  presented  themselves,  but  the 
image  of  her  parents  was  too  deeply  graven  on 
Mina's  heart  for  her  to  be  deceived  by  so 
gross  an  imposture;  and  these  wicked  people 


io8  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

were  obliged  to  depart  hastily  amid  the  hootings 
of  the  populace,  and  were  very  lucky  in  not 
being  sent  to  prison. 

Of  the  steps  taken  to  find  them,  Mina's  parents 
knew  nothing.  The  village  in  which  they  lived 
was  very  far  from  any  great  centre,  with  no  way 
of  communication,  and  inhabited  by  poor  people 
who  did  not  know  how  to  read  or  write;  so  no 
news,  no  journal  even,  penetrated  into  their  soli- 
tude. 

Since  their  dear  child  was  taken  away,  Wolf 
and  Marguerite  were  more  isolated  than  ever. 
Marguerite  had  nearly  become  crazy  with  grief. 
She  wandered  about  the  country  like  a  soul 
in  pain,  and  took  no  rest  day  or  night.  We 
never  have  peace  when  we  question  and  will  not 
submit  to  the  will  of  God.  Wolf,  on  the  con- 
trary, was  an  example  of  most  perfect  resigna- 
tion. He  was  a  Christian  hero,  without  knowing 
it.  When  thoughts  of  his  beloved  child  came  to 
shake  his  courage,  he  would  quit  his  work,  go 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  109 

to  the  church,  pray  earnestly,  and  return  con- 
soled. One  day,  —  it  was  the  anniversary  of  the 
birth  of  Mina,  —  poor  Wolf  was  more  than 
usually  depressed,  from  seeing  before  him  the 
empty  chair  of  his  child.  Throwing  himself  on 
his  knees,  he  prayed  long  and  fervently  ;  and  his 
prayer,  like  all  prayers  that  come  from  the  heart, 
was  heard. 

That  night  his  good  angel  sent  him  a  dream. 
Mina  appeared  to  him,  resplendent  in  beauty. 
"Father,"  she  said,  "do  not  weep:  I  will  soon 
return  to  thee."  Wolf  awoke,  his  bosom  filled 
with  ineffable  joy,  and  related  his  dream  to  Mar- 
guerite, lying  sleepless  by  his  side. 

"What  folly!"  rejoined  Marguerite.  "We 
shall  never  see  her  again,  —  God  has  forsaken 
us." 

"Wife,"  replied  Wolf,  "do  not  talk  so.  God 
wishes  to  try  us;  but  he  is  good,  and,  if  we  pray 
with  fervor,  he  will  restore  to  us  our  child." 


no  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


1EVERAL  years  passed  away,  and, 
in  spite. of  the  active  exertions  of 
the  Landgrave's  police,  Mina's  pa- 
rents had  not  yet  been  found.  But 
Providence,  who  loves  to  confound  the  pride 
of  the  powerful,  sometimes  makes  use  of  the 
most  unexpected  and  common  means  to  serve 
his  ends. 

Mina  had  now  reached  her  fifteenth  year. 
The  lovely  child  had  become  a  tall  and  beautiful 
young  girl.  She  still  cherished  the  memory  of 
her  parents;  only  time,  the  great  consoler,  had 
softened  the  bitterness  of  her  regret,  while  im- 
parting to  her  sweet  face  a  tinge  of  melancholy, 


\ 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  Ill 

which,  like  in  certain  heads  of  Leonardo  da 
Vinci,  gave  to  her  beauty  the  additional  charm 
of  mystery. 

Thanks  to  her  remarkable  genius,  and  to  Cor- 
nelius' instructions,  Mina  had  attained  to  a  high 
degree  of  perfection  in  her  art.  She  knew  by 
heart  all  the  works  of  the  great  masters,  and 
sang,  and  played  on  the  harpsichord  like  a  Saint 
Cecilia.  Fugue  and  counter-point  were  no  se- 
crets to  her.  She  was  also  familiar  with  ancient 
and  modern  literature;  she  had  studied  universal 
history,  geography,  a  little  of  astronomy  and 
natural  science;  and  had  received,  above  all,  that 
moral  and  religious  education  which  is  only  de- 
veloped in  the  homes  of  truly  Christian  families, 
and  without  which  all  knowledge  is  fruitless. 

At  this  time,  Italy  was  considered  the  classic 
land  of  the  fine  arts,  especially  of  music.  There 
was  no  salvation  for  the  musician  who  had  not 
made  a  tour  to  Italy.  It  was  like  the  pilgrimage 
to  Mecca  to  the  Mussulman.  The  Landgrave, 


112  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

who  was  determined  his  protege  should  have 
every  advantage,  begged  Cornelius  to  accompany 
Mina  on  a  trip  to  Italy,  of  which  he  defrayed 
royally  all  the  expense.  After  travelling  slowly 
through  this  marvellous  country,  in  a  perpetual 
state  of  enchantment,  Cornelius  and  Mina  re- 
turned to  Germany  by  way  of  the  Tyrol.  They 
travelled  post,  by  short  stages.  One  day  the  pos- 
tilion lost  his  way,  and,  in  trying  to  find  it,  he 
came  on  to  a  high  table-land,  commanding  an 
extensive  prospect.  Suddenly  Mina  uttered  a 
cry  of  joy. 

"My  village!  my  village!  that  is  it!  I  know 
it!  There  is  our  little  church,  and  there,  at 
the  right,  our  house  !  John,"  she  said  to  the 
postilion,  "  follow  this  road,  and  it  will  bring  you 
out  to  the  highway."  After  some  difficulty  in 
getting  over  stones  and  brambles,  the  post-chaise 
reached  a  road  which,  though  better,  did  not 
reflect  much  honor  on  the  engineers  of  the  period. 
Poor  Mina's  heart  throbbed  with  joy  at  the 


" Suddenly  Mina  uttered  a  cry  of  joy:  ' My  Village,  my  Village ! '"  —  PAGE  112. 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  113 

thought  of  seeing  so  soon  her  loving  and  good 
parents.  As  for  Cornelius,  he  did  not  dare  trust 
yet  to  so  providential  an  accident,  —  when  Mina 
saw,  a  few  steps  off,  on  the  side  of  the  road,  an 
old  woman,  trudging  along  laboriously,  aided  by 
a  cane,  and  bearing  on  her  back  a  fagot  of  dry 
sticks. 

"  It  is  Mother  Fritz !  "  she  instantly  cried. 

She  stopped  the  post-chaise,  and  called  out, — 

"Mother  Fritz!  Mother  Fritz!  " 

The  old  woman  turned,  astounded. 

"Is  it  possible  you  don't  know  me,  Mother 
Fritz?" 

"Alas,  no,  my  fine  young  lady!  " 

"  I  am  little  Mina." 

"  O  God,  is  it  possible !  "  ejaculated  the  old 
woman,  letting  fall  her  bundle  of  sticks. 

Mina  sprang  from  the  carriage  and  threw  her 
arms  around  Mother  Fritz.  A  thought  flashed 
through  her  mind,  filling  her  with  dread.  What 
if  her  parents  should  be  dead!  She  did  not  dare 


114  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

question  Mother  Fritz,  who,  seeming  to  divine 
what  was  passing  in  her  mind,  said,  clasping  her 
hands,  — 

"How  happy  Father  Wolf  and  poor  Mar- 
guerite will  be ! " 

"  Let  us  go  to  them  directly,"  replied  Mina, 
quickly,  her  heart  relieved  of  a  terrible  weight. 
She  made  the  old  woman  get  into  the  carriage, 
with  her  fagot;  she  overwhelmed  her  with  ques- 
tions, and  shed  many  tears  at  hearing  of  the 
grief  of  her  father  and  mother.  They  rapidly 
approached  her  village,  though  not  quick  enough 
for  Mina,  so  anxious  was  she  to  throw  herself  into 
the  arms  of  her  dear  parents,  and  to  say  to  them, 
"  It  is  I  —  Mina,  your  little  girl,  who  has  never 
ceased  to  love  you." 

Cornelius  now  suggested  to  Mina  that  too  ab- 
rupt a  disclosure  of  her  identity  might  be  fatal  to 
the  worthy  .couple,  and  that  it  would  be  better 
to  prepare  them  gently  for  the  news,  as  great  joy 
kills,  like  great  grief.  It  was  arranged,  therefore, 


THE  LITTLE    GYPST.  115 

that  Cornelius  and  Mother  Fritz  should  go  in 
first,  while  Mina  remained  out  of  sight  in  the 
post-chaise,  until  they  should  call  her.  But  she 
had  not  the  patience  to  wait.  Scarcely  had  Cor- 
nelius and  Mother  Fritz  entered  the  house,  when 
she  sprang  from  the  carriage,  and  glided  down  a 
little  pathway  of  the  garden  which  led  to  the 
back  of  the  house.  Looking  in  through  the  half- 
open  door,  she  saw  her  parents;  and  her  tears 
flowed  freely  at  the  traces  which  age  and  sorrow 
had  imprinted  on  both  their  faces. 

"  Ah,  sir,"  Wolf  was  just  saying  to  Cornelius, 
"the  Lord  has  sorely  tried  us;  but  his  designs 
are  inscrutable,  and  we  must  worship  him  on 
our  knees." 

:f  Take  courage,"  answered  Cornelius  :  "  mis- 
fortune does  not  always  dog  the  steps  of  such 
honest  people;  you  will  see  your  child  again,  and 
sooner  than  you  think  for." 

"  May  the  Lord  hear  you,  sir !  If  you  only 
knew  how  sweet  she  was !  It  is  both  a  joy  and 


n6  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

grief  to  think  of  her.  Wait  a  moment,  there  is  a 
song  she  was  never  tired  of  hearing  me  sing,  — 
the  story  of  a  shepherd  who  possessed  nothing 
in  the  world  but  a  goat,  which  he  loved  dearly, 
and  had  just  lost.  Fancy  his  grief;  "  and  Wolf 
began  to  sing,  in  a  tremulous  voice,  — 

"Un  jour,  la  ch£vre  a  disparu  — 
II  court,  il  pleure  :  avez-vous  vu 

Ma  Joliette, 

Ma  chevrette? 
Si  je  ne  puis  la  d^couvrir, 
H61as  !  je  n'ai  plus  qu'a  mourir." 

Wolf  stopped,  overcome  by  his  emotion.  Sud- 
denly a  voice,  fresh  and  pure,  and  full  of  feeling, 
continued  the  interrupted  song,  — 

"  Ne  pleure  pas,  petit  berger, 
Le  vilain  loup  n'a  pas  mang6 

Ta  Joliette, 

Ta  chevrette. 

Oui,  le  bon  Dieu  te  la  rendra, 
Et  ta  voix  encore  redira  : 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  117 

Hop  la,  sautez,  ma  chevrette, 

Joliette ; 
Hop  la,  sautez,  mes  amours, 

Toujours." 

Wolf  and  Marguerite  listened,  a  prey  to  strange 
agitation,  —  when  the  door  flew  open,  and  Mina 
threw  herself  into  Marguerite's  arms,  crying 
out, — 

"  My  mother !  my  mother !  " 

Marguerite  gazed  at  her  for  a  moment,  bewil- 
dered ;  then,  as  though  she  had  at  last  recognized 
in  the  features  of  the  young  girl  the  image  of  her 
beloved  child,  she  uttered  a  piercing  cry,  pressed 
Mina  to  her  heart,  and  burst  into  a  paroxysm  of 
weeping.  Poor  Wolf  had  fallen  on  •  his  knees, 
thanking  God.  Mina,  seeing  him  in  this  humble 
posture,  and  moved  with  respect  and  tenderness, 
knelt  down  before  him. 

"  My  good  father ! "  she  said,  in  a  thrilling 
voice. 

Wolf  raised  her,  and  held  her  long  against  his 


Il8  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

heart  in  a  mute  ecstasy.  After  the  first  trans- 
ports were  over,  Mina  presented  Cornelius  to  her 
parents,  saying, — 

:?  This  is  my  saviour,  my  benefactor,  my  second 
father." 

Wolf  and  Marguerite  took  his  hands,  which 
they  bathed  with  their  tears. 

Mother  Fritz  had  gone  to  spread  the  good 
news  through  the  village.  Young  and  old  left 
their  work  to  go  to  see  the  little  Mina;  but  they 
stopped  surprised  and  abashed  before  so  tall  and 
fine  a  young  lady.  Mina  recognized  them  all, 
called  them  by  their  names,  and  found  a  pleasant 
word  to  say  to  each.  Then  the  old  cure,  who 
had  not  been  the  last  to  come  and  share  the  joy 
of  these  worthy  people,  stood  up  and  said,  — 

"  The  hand  of  the  Lord  is  visible  in  this,  my 
friends.  Let  us  all  go  to  the  church  to  give  thanks." 

Cornelius  and  Mina  arranged  a  surprise  for  the 
assembly.  Cornelius  played  the  organ,  and  Mina 
sang  the  famous  solo  of  Christmas  night.  The 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  119 

simple  peasants,  who  had  never  before  heard  such 
beautiful  music,  fancied  themselves  transported 
to  Paradise.  Afterward,  the  old  cure  made  his 
parishioners  a  short  address  upon  the  vigilance  of 
Providence,  who  always  watches  over  his  chil- 
dren, and  conducts  them  to  the  end,  but  by  mys- 
terious roads.  After  the  service,  the  cure  took 
Cornelius  and  all  the  Wolf  family  back  to  his 
parsonage,  and  kept  them  there  to  dinner.  At 
dessert,  Mina  related  her  story,  which  was  inter- 
rupted by  the  tears  of  the  listeners. 

It  was  arranged  that  Wolf  and  Marguerite 
should  accompany  Mina  back  to  Darmstadt  on 
the  following  day.  The  latter  gave  all  the  money 
left  from  the  expense  of  the  journey,  to  be  distrib- 
uted to  the  poor  of  the  parish;  and  forced  Mother 
Fritz  to  accept  two  florins,  to  pay  her,  she  said, 
smilingly,  for  the  apple  she  had  stolen  from  her. 
All  the  village  gathered  together  to  witness  the 
departure  of  the  travellers,  and  called  down  upon 
them  the  blessings  of  Heaven. 


120  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 


FORTNIGHT  afterward,  the  two 
families  met  together  at  Darmstadt. 
The  Landgrave  had  Wolf  and  Mar- 
guerite presented  to  him,  and  re- 
ceived them  most  kindly.  He  handed  to  Mina 
a  purse  of  fifty  florins. 

"I  promised  them,"  he  said,  w  to  the  person  who 
should  find  your  parents-  so  these  fifty  florins 
belong  to  you." 

"  It  is  Providence  who  has  worked  this  mira- 
cle, your  majesty!  these  fifty  florins  belong  to  the 
poor." 

"  God  preserve  me  from  doing  them  any  wrong, 
my  dear  child;  but,  distributed  by  your  hand,  their 


THE  LITTLE    GYPST.  121 

value  will  be  increased  twofold.  Wolf,"  added 
he,  turning  toward  the  tailor,  who  was  very  much 
abashed  at  finding  himself  face  to  face  with  so 
grand  a  personage,  "  one  of  the  keepers  of  my 
park  has  just  died.  I  give  you  his  place." 

"  O  my  lord,  how  good  you  are  !  "  said  Mina, 
kissing  with  respectful  affection  the  hand  of  the 
Landgrave. 

"My  child,"  replied  he,  smiling,  "sovereigns 
ought  to  be  a  little  better  than  ordinary  people, 
if  they  hope  to  be  pardoned  for  their  grandeur." 

A  few  days  afterward,  Wolf,  Marguerite,  and 
Mina  were  installed  in  a  pretty  lodge  which  the 
Landgrave  had  ordered  to  be  renovated,  and 
which  was  furnished  with  an  elegant  simplicity. 
Wolf  looked  upon  himself  as  the  happiest  of 
fathers  and  of  tailors.  The  dream  of  his  life  was 
accomplished.  His  new  position  permitted  him 
to  work  henceforth  only  for  the  poor.  Marguer- 
ite, become  almost  a  bourgeoise,  indulged  occa- 
sionally in  some  little  vanities  ;  but  the  memory 


122  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

of  what  she  had  suffered,  quickly  brought  her 
back  to  reason. 

Mina  often  thought  of  the  gypsies,  those  terri- 
ble companions  of  her  childhood,  and  especially 
of  Petrolino,  her  friend  and  protector.  The 
little  cloak,  cut  off  from  the  famous  senatorial 
mantle,  which  the  kind  fellow  had  given  her,  she 
kept  in  her  own  room,  among  her  crowns  of  lau- 
rel and  of  gold,  —  glorious  trophies  of  the  tri- 
umphs of  the  young  artist.  She  could  not  look  at 
this  little  mantle  without  being  moved,  and  would 
say  to  herself, — 

"  Poor  Petrolino  !  what  has  become  of  thee  ? 
Will  God  never  permit  me  to  prove  to  thee  my 
gratitude  ?  " 

This  remembrance  was  almost  a  remorse  for 
Mina,  so  much  she  feared  to  be  ungrateful. 
Morning  and  evening  at  her  prayers,  after  invok- 
ing blessings  upon  her  parents  and  benefactors, 
she  never  forgot  the  name  of  the  player  on  the 
mandolin.  God  at  last  heard  her  prayers. 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  123 

One  day,  when  Mina  visited  the  hospital  to 
carry  to  the  poor  her  alms  and  comforting  words, 
she  noticed  hanging  on  the  wall,  behind  one  of 
the  beds,  an  old  mandolin  without  strings,  and 
a  worn-out  mantle,  jagged  and  covered  with 
stains  and  mud,  but  still  showing  signs  that  it 
had  once  been  of  a  beautiful  scarlet.  It  was 
indeed  the  old  mantle  borrowed,  twenty  years 
back,  by  Rabba  from  a  Venetian  senator,  but  how 
stripped  of  its  pristine  splendor!  Mina  uttered  a 
cry  of  surprise,  and  leant  over  the  sick  man. 
Alas!  he,  like  the  Venetian  mantle,  looked  little 
like  himself.  He  was  a  spectre,  a  phantom,  a 
shade. 

"  Petrolino ! "  said  Mina  with  a  trembling 
voice. 

Hearing  this  name,  the  sick  man  raised  him- 
self up,  and  fixed  his  eyes,  bright  with  fever,  for 
some  time  on  the  young  girl ;  then  he  exclaimed 
suddenly,  — 

*  La  Biondina  ! " 


124  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

'*  Yes,  it  is  I,  La  Biondina,  my  poor  Petrolino." 

w  Saint  Mark  and  the  Madonna  be  praised  ! " 
rejoined  he,  clasping  his  hands;  for,  since  his 
illness,  Petrolino  had  returned  to  the  religion  of 
his  infancy,  just  as  a  lost  child  in  the  midst  of  a 
forest  at  night  dreams  of  his  parents,  and  calls 
upon  them  for  succor. 

"  I  have  seen  my  Biondina  again,  now  I  can 
die." 

"  Do  not  talk  so,  Petrolino." 

"  Bah,  what  can  a  poor  devil  like  me  do  bet- 
ter ?  "  said  he,  with  a  little  return  of  his  old  care- 
less gayety. 

w  Put  your  trust  in  God.  He  will  restore  you 
to  health." 

"  Health  !  what  for  ?  ?  Of  what  use  are  nuts 
when  we  have  no  teeth  to  crack  them  with  ? '  as 
old  Rabba  used  to  say." 

"  Petrolino,  you  took  pity  on  a  poor  abandoned 
child  ;  when  she  shivered  with  cold  at  night  on 
the  damp  ground,  you  covered  her  with  your 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  125 

cloak  ;  you  courageously  defended  her  against 
wolves,  and  wicked  people  even  more  cruel  : 
the  child  has  grown  up  ;  in  spite  of  absence,  she 
has  kept  the  memory  of  your  friendship  and 
devotion  warm  in  her  heart,  and  she  says  to  you 
to-day,  'Petrolino,  La  Biondina  is  rich,  —  you 
are  rich  :  La  Biondina  is  happy,  —  she  wishes 
you  to  be  happy  too.": 

The  deep  feeling  which  animated  the  young 
girl  gave  to  her  naturally  sweet  voice  an  inex- 
pressible charm.  Petrolino  listened  with  delight, 
and  thought  it  was  a  delicious  dream. 

"La  Biondina  is  dead,"  he  said  to  himself:  "it 
is  her  dear  spirit  come  to  visit  me." 

"  Come,  come,  take  heart,  my  good  Petrolino. 
I  hope  you  will  soon  be  able  to  leave  this 
wretched  hospital." 

"  Thou  art  going  to  leave  me  already  ?  "  said 
Petrolino  with  visible  concern. 

:?  Yes  ;  but  only  to  busy  myself  about  you.  I 
will  come  to  see  you  every  day." 


126  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

This  promise  quieted  the  troubled  mind  of  the 
sick  man  :  he  took  Mina's  hand,  put  it  respect- 
fully to  his  lips,  and  a  grateful  tear  fell  from  his 
eyes  burning  with  fever. 

Mina  recommended  her  protege  to  the  physi- 
cian of  the  hospital,  gave  some  money,  which 
never  hurts  any  thing,  to  the  infirmary,  and  hast- 
ened away  to  tell  her  parents  and  friends  of  her 
good  fortune. 

The  next  day,  Wolf  accompanied  Mina  in  her 
visit  to  the  hospital.  He  was  anxious  to  see  the 
devoted  protector  of  his  dear  child,  and  express 
his  gratitude.  Petrolino  seemed  more  natural 
than  he  did  the  evening  before.  The  fever  had 
left  him  ;  which  shows  that  joy  and  hope  are  the 
most  skilful  physicians  in  the  world.  He  was 
awaiting  Mina  with  the  greatest  impatience,  and 
welcomed  Wolf  as  well  as  her,  in  the  most  affect- 
ing manner. 

While  Petrolino  and  Mina  talked  over  old 
times  together,  Wolf  was  pursued  by  one  idea. 


THE  LITTLE    GYPSY.  127 

He  said  to  himself,  "  How  can  I  prove  my 
gratitude  to  this  worthy  man  ?  "  In  turning  over 
this  problem  in  his  mind,  his  eyes  happened  to 
fall  on  the  poor  old  clothes  of  the  gypsy,  which, 
had  there  been  such  an  institution  as  a  hospital 
for  worn-out  garments,  would  undoubtedly  have 
had  the  right  to  enter  therein  without  favor.  A 
smile  of  satisfaction  immediately  lit  up  Wolf's 
face.  He  had  found  a  way. 

Meanwhile,  conversation  did'  not  languish 
between  Mina  and  Petrolino,  who  told  each  other 
all  the  great  events  which  had  occurred  since 
their  separation.  Mina's  story  and  her  triumphs 
deeply  interested  the  player  of  the  mandolin, 
who  exclaimed  with  enthusiasm,  — 

"  Old  Zara  was  not  mistaken :  you  have  a  star !  " 

??  Now,  Petrolino,  it  is  your  turn." 

w  After  your  departure,"  said  Petrolino, "ill-luck 
never  quitted  us.  Old  Rabba  began  the  dance :  he 
died  from  eating  too  hearty  a  supper.  He  was 
fond  of  goose,  and  it  was  that  which  killed  him. 


128  THE  LITTLE    GTPST. 

Makitou  was  elected  in  his  place,  in  spite  of  old 
Zara,  who  predicted  all  sorts  of  misfortunes. 
She  was  right:  they  fell  on  us  like  hail.  While 
Rabba  was  alive,  Makitou  did  not  dare  to  give 
himself  up  too  much  to  his  disorderly  tastes  for 
robbery  and  pillage.  When  he  became  master, 
he  let  the  bridle  go  free,  and  knew  no  restraint. 
What  blows  have  I  not  had,  because  I  had  cour- 
age to  tell  him  the  truth!  He  was  a  little  afraid 
of  me,  and  never  commanded  me  to  commit  any 
dishonesty,  for  he  knew  that  I  would  disobey  him. 
One  night  I  was  awakened  by  cries,  and  saw 
Makitou  coming  in,  with  a  casket  hidden  under 
his  cloak.  There  was  blood  on  his  hands.  He 
said  to  us  in  a  rough,  gloomy  voice,  "  Fly,  as 
quickly  as  you  can,  if  you  want  to  keep  your 
ears ! "  But  the  police  were  after  us ;  we  were  all 
arrested,  handcuffed,  and  thrown  into  jail.  Mak- 
itou was  condemned  to  death,  and  hung.  Old 
Zara's  prediction  came  true.  Finding  no  charge 
against  me,  I  was  released  after  six  months.  I 


THE  LITTLE    GTPSY.  129 

left  the  prison  with  my  stringless  mandolin,  an 
empty  stomach  and  purse,  having  lost  friends, 
compa'nions,  health,  and  spirits,  —  all  that  sus- 
tains life.  Hunted  from  place  to  place  as  a  vaga- 
bond, I  dragged  myself  as  far  as  Darmstadt, 
where  I  fell  fainting  at  the  gate  of  the  hospital: 
for  three  days  I  had  eaten  nothing! " 

"  Poor  Petrolino !  "  said  Mina,  whom  this  recital 
had  deeply  affected. 

"  Now,  my  little  Biondina,  you  know  the  rest.  " 


F* 


130  THE  LITTLE    GYPST. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 


HANKS  to  his  robust  constitution, 
and  to  proper  nourishment,  of  which 
he  had  more  need  than  drugs ;  and 
thanks  above  all  to  the  visits  of  his 
dear  Biondina,  Petrolino  was  very  soon  on  his 
legs.  Upon  the  day  fixed  for  his  leaving  the  hos- 
pital, Wolf  arrived  early,  with  a  big  bundle  under 
his  arm.  He  found  Petrolino  awake  and  looking 
piteously  at  his  poor  clothes. 

"  I  shall  never  dare  to  appear  before  Biondina's 

friends  in  such  hideous  rags,"  he  said  to  himself. 

Intercourse  with  Mina,  Wolf,  Cornelius,  and 

his  charming  family,  had  wrought  a  happy  change 

in   Petrolino's   ideas.     He  was  ashamed  now  of 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  131 

his  old  gypsy  career,  and  already  wanted  to  lead 
a  quieter  and  more  honest  life.  Wolf  surprised 
him  absorbed  in  these  reflections;  divining  his 
thoughts,  he  opened,  without  a  word,  his  big 
bundle,  and  took  out  linen  and  a  complete  suit 
of  clothes,  which  he  spread  silently  on  the  bed. 
Petrolino  did  not  dare  believe  his  eyes. 

"  Father  Wolf,"  said  he,  with  a  choked  voice, 
"are  these  fine  clothes  for  me?  " 

"  I  rather  think  so,"  said  the  tailor,  with  a  smile 
full  of  pleasant  mischief. 

Petrolino  examined  this  superb  costume,  piece 
by  piece,  with  a  childish  joy;  then  came  tears; 
and,  pressing  Wolfs  hand,  he  said  only  this  one 
word,  — 

"Thanks!" 

Wolf  was  paid  a  hundred-fold. 

When  Mina  and  Marguerite,  accompanied  by 
Cornelius,  entered  the  hospital  ward,  Petrolino 
had  finished  his  toilette. 

"  My  dear  Petrolino,  you  are  magnificent!  "  ex- 


132  THE  LITTLE    GYPSY. 

claimed  Cornelius,  "  thanks  to  our  friend  Wolf." 

"I  understand  now  why  we  have  not  seen  you 
for  eight  days,"  said  Mina.  "  Dear  father,  how 
good  you  are! "  and  she  kissed  him. 

"You  have  wrought  a  masterpiece,  my  good 
Wolf ;  and  you  have  not  spared  the  cloth," 
added  Cornelius,  looking  at  Petrolino,  who 
seemed  to  swim  in  his  clothes. 

w  If  I  made  the  garments  loose,  Mr.  Doctor,  I 
had  a  purpose  in  it,"  replied  Wolf,  with  an  arch 
smile.  "  Our  friend  Petrolino  will  soon  grow 
fat,  thanks  to  Marguerite's  good  fare,  and  yours 
also,  Mr.  Doctor." 

"I  did  not  think  of  that,  Father  Wolf.  I  beg 
your  honor's  pardon." 

Petrolino,  quitting  the  hospital,  took  away  his 
old  mantle  and  mandolin.  "  They  have  always 
been  my  companions  in  misfortune,"  he  said, 
smiling,  "  and  one  must  not  be  ungrateful  to  old 
friends." 

Petrolino  showed  himself  worthy  of  the  interest 


THE  LITTLE    GTPST.  133 

taken  in  him  by  Mina  and  her  friends:  he  soon 
shook  off  what  remained  of  the  old  man,  of  the 
vagabond  and  the  gypsy,  and  testified  to  his  dear 
Biondina  until  he  died,  that  instinctive  and  abso- 
lute devotion  which  the  dog  alone  bears  to  his 
master. 

As  for  Mina,  she  became  the  greatest  prima 
donna  of  Germany;  but  fame  and  fortune  did  not 
spoil  her.  She  was  ever  modest  and  charitable; 
and,  if  her  name  was  hailed  with  enthusiasm  by 
frenzied  admirers,  it  was  also  blessed  in  secret 
by  the  poor  and  unfortunate,  to  whom  she  was, 
until  her  death,  an  angel  of  consolation. 


